Óbidos Municipality
Encyclopedia
Óbidos is a municipality of 10,875 inhabitants (2001), in the Oeste Subregion of the Centro Region in continental Portugal (part of the older district of Leira), its municipal seat is the town of Óbidos. The municipality covers an area of 141.55 km², bounded by in the northeast and east by Caldas da Rainha
, in the south by Bombarral
, in the southeast by Lourinhã
, in the west by Peniche and fronting the Atlantic Ocean
.
The origin of the municipality had its beginnings in an early Roman settlement near the foothills of an elevated escarpment. The region of Óbidos, that extended from the Atlantic to the interior of the Estramdura along the rivers and lakes, has been inhabited since the late Paleolithic
. A settlement was constructed by early Celt
tribes, that was later a centre of trade for the Phoenicia
ns. Archeological evidance from the base of the medieval tower (south of Facho) at Óbidos Castle indicates that evidence of Roman construction, that is linked to an outpot of the Roman civitas
of Eburobrittium, a large urban area that has been under excacation.
On 11 January 1148, the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, supported by Gonçalo Mendes da Maia, took Óbidos from north African Arabs, after encircling their battlements. Óbidos was then a Moorish outpost, protected by a pentagonal defensive line, but taken by the Portuguese it was a base for Templar raids.
With the gift of Óbidos, as a wedding gift between King Dinis and Queen Elizabeth
, the settlement began to pertain to the Queen's patrimony; in fact, the village was referred to as the town of the Queens until 1834, since many of the royal consorts visited or stayed in Óbidos or regularly contributed funds to the settlement. Queen Catherine constructed an aqueduct and fountain system during her stay.
Administrative reforms conducted by King Manuel I
at Óbidos in 1513, included the institution of a formal charter
and major requalification of the urban area.
The 1755 earthquake caused damages to the walls of the village, a few temples and many buildings and resulting in the loss of Arab- or Medieval-inspire architecture. Similarly, the Peninsular Wars were fought in the vicinity of Óbidos, including the Battle of Roliça, which was the liturgical centrer of the community.
More recently, the village was a metro-pole and meeting place for those involved in the 1974 Carnation Revolution
, linking it to the armed forces movement revolt.
Caldas da Rainha
Caldas da Rainha is a city in western central Portugal. The city serves as the seat of the larger municipality of the same name and is the seat of the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste...
, in the south by Bombarral
Bombarral
Bombarral is a Portuguese municipality in the Oeste Subregion and Leiria District, of central Portugal. With an area of and approximately 13,325 inhabitants , it includes five civil parishes that provide local services...
, in the southeast by Lourinhã
Lourinhã
Lourinhã is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 147.2 km² and a total population of 24,601 inhabitants. The seat of the municipality is the village of Lourinhã, with a population of 8,800 inhabitants....
, in the west by Peniche and fronting the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
History
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
. A settlement was constructed by early Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
tribes, that was later a centre of trade for the Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
ns. Archeological evidance from the base of the medieval tower (south of Facho) at Óbidos Castle indicates that evidence of Roman construction, that is linked to an outpot of the Roman civitas
Civitas
In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
of Eburobrittium, a large urban area that has been under excacation.
On 11 January 1148, the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, supported by Gonçalo Mendes da Maia, took Óbidos from north African Arabs, after encircling their battlements. Óbidos was then a Moorish outpost, protected by a pentagonal defensive line, but taken by the Portuguese it was a base for Templar raids.
With the gift of Óbidos, as a wedding gift between King Dinis and Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth of Aragon
Elizabeth of Aragon, also known as Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, T.O.S.F. , was queen consort of Portugal, a tertiary of the Franciscan Order and is venerated as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.-Biography:Elizabeth was a descendant of one of the most powerful families in Europe:...
, the settlement began to pertain to the Queen's patrimony; in fact, the village was referred to as the town of the Queens until 1834, since many of the royal consorts visited or stayed in Óbidos or regularly contributed funds to the settlement. Queen Catherine constructed an aqueduct and fountain system during her stay.
Administrative reforms conducted by King Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
at Óbidos in 1513, included the institution of a formal charter
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
and major requalification of the urban area.
The 1755 earthquake caused damages to the walls of the village, a few temples and many buildings and resulting in the loss of Arab- or Medieval-inspire architecture. Similarly, the Peninsular Wars were fought in the vicinity of Óbidos, including the Battle of Roliça, which was the liturgical centrer of the community.
More recently, the village was a metro-pole and meeting place for those involved in the 1974 Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
, linking it to the armed forces movement revolt.
Geography
Administratively, the municipality is divided into nine civil parishes, that include:- A dos Negros
- Amoreira
- GaeirasGaeirasGaeiras is a Portuguese town and civil parish in the municipality of Óbidos. It has a population of 1,858 and an area of 10.2 km².-External links:*...
- Olho MarinhoOlho MarinhoOlho Marinho is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Óbidos. It has a population of 1,258 and an area of 18.32 km².-External links:*...
- Santa Maria
- São Pedro
- Sobral da Lagoa
- Usseira
- Vau