Lousã is a town in the district of Coimbra

Coimbra

Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...

, Portugal

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

 (40°07′N 8°15′W). Its area is 139,16 km² and its population around 19,293 (2008). Its neighbouring towns are Vila Nova de Poiares

Vila Nova de Poiares

Vila Nova de Poiares is a town in Vila Nova de Poiares Municipality of the Coimbra district, in Portugal.-Twin towns:Vila Nova de Poiares is twinned with* Mielec in Poland -External links:*...

 (north), Góis

Góis

Góis is a town and municipality of the Coimbra District, in Portugal. Góis is located on the edge of the Ceira River. There are many festas throughout the summer and one of Portugal's biggest Motorbike Festas in August, after the one in Faro.-Parishes:...

 (east), Castanheira de Pêra

Castanheira de Pera

Castanheira de Pera , often erroneously written Castanheira de Pêra, is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 66.8 km² and a total population of 3,464 inhabitants....

 (southeast), Figueiró dos Vinhos

Figueiró dos Vinhos

Figueiró dos Vinhos is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 173.4 km² and a total population of 7,080 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 5 parishes, and is located in Leiria District....

 (south), and Miranda do Corvo

Miranda do Corvo

Miranda do Corvo is a Portuguese town and municipality in the Coimbra district of Portugal.Miranda do Corvo literally means "View over the Corvo River." The town has a beautiful church situated on a hill overlooking the area. A large "Rio de Janeiro"-type statue of Jesus also looks out over the...

 (west). It is the chief town and urban center in the Pinhal Interior Norte

Pinhal Interior Norte

Pinhal Interior Norte is a Portuguese subregion, in Centro Region, Portugal. The principal and most populous town is Lousã .The only city is Oliveira do Hospital.-Municipalities:* Alvaiázere* Ansião* Arganil* Castanheira de Pêra* Figueiró dos Vinhos...

 subregion.
Many of its residents commute by car or train (Linha de Lousã) to the city of Coimbra

Coimbra

Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...

 for work, shopping or attend schools, Coimbra University or the Coimbra Hospital.
It is the birthplace of the renowned Portuguese liqueur

Liqueur

A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...

 Licor Beirão

Licor Beirão

Licor Beirão is a Portuguese liqueur. Its recipe is a trade secret; the producer, J. Carranca Redondo, Lda., only states it is made from a double distillation of seeds and herbs from all over the world, including Malaysia, Brazil, and Thailand. It has 22% ABV.- Origin of the name :Beirão is...

. There is a small castle

Castle

A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...

, Castle of Lousã a few kilometers upstream from town. A mountain, the Serra da Lousã, is located near the town, covering the southeastern part of Coimbra district and northeastern Leiria district. The main river in Lousã is the Arouce.

The Count of Lousã is a descendant of a Portuguese conqueror, António Correia

António Correia

António Correia was a Portuguese commander who in 1521 conquered Bahrain, beginning eighty years of Portuguese rule in the Persian Gulf state.Correia was the son of merchant and explorer Aires Correia, who had gained notoriety during the Portuguese bombardment of Calicut a generation earlier...

, whose coat of arms is decorated with a depiction of the decapitated head of King Muqrin

Muqrin ibn Zamil

Muqrin ibn Zamil , the ruler of eastern Arabia, including al-Hasa, al-Qatif, and Bahrain, and the last Jabrid ruler of Bahrain. He was defeated in battle by an invading Portuguese force that conquerered the islands of Bahrain in 1521. Having been captured in battle, King Muqrin died from his...

, the last Jabrid ruler of Bahrain

Bahrain

' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

, killed by Correia in battle.

Parishes(Freguesias)

Lousã municipality has six civil parishes :

• Casal de Ermio
• Foz de Arouce
• Lousã
• Serpins
• Vilarinho
• Gândaras

Natural and cultural heritage:

• Serra da Lousã (Lousã's Mountain)
• Aldeias de Xisto (Schist Villages)
• Lousã's Castle
• Manors
• Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercy
• Natural Pools

External links

• Lousã Municipality
• Photos from Lousã

Castles in Portugal

Castles in Portugal

Castles in Portugal were crucial components of the military across history. The Portuguese learned the art of fortification construction from the Romans and the Moors. The Romans, who ruled and colonized the territory of current-day Portugal for more than 4 centuries, built forts with high walls...