Alcains
Encyclopedia
Alcains is a Portuguese
civil parish in the municipality
of Castelo Branco, with a total area of 37,09 km² and approximately 7000 inhabitants (its density is approximately 36 inhabitants per square kilometre).
period there were implements discovered in the sites such as the Grulha and Lameira de Curia (today housed in the Museum Tavares Proença Júnior). The Romanization of the area was also documented in the number of vestiges found in Cabeço da Pelada, such as a kiln and altar dedicated to the divinty Reve, from the 2nd Century B.C. Remnants from two altars were identified in 2008, during excavations in the Chapel of São Domingos, that also identify the Roman influence on the parish's history.
The toponymy
Alcains is derived from the Arabic
word for church and, according to some historians, may have had the same origin as Alcañiz
, a city in the Spanish province of Teruel
.
In the 12th century the region belonged to the numerous villages and lands that comprised the Herdade de Açafa, dominion of Afonso Henriques. Much later, Afonso III
donated these lands to the Knights Templar
. Throughout the Middle Ages, its development was somewhat irregular, due to the constant demographic recessions of the region. By the end of the 14th century, the creation of the municipalities led to the survey and delimitation of the parish of Alcains.
Rich in historical and religious patrimony, the region was used by the nobility for summer homes and estates; the Viscounts of Oleiros (whom owned the Solares de Alcains) and the Viscounts of Idanha-a-Nova (who owned the Solares dos Goulões) were beneficial in developing the land in this region, and providing job opportunities. Several stories, legends and anecdotes surfaced during this period, identifying the daily humour and mythos of the community. By the early 16th century, Alcains began to recover economically, by taking advantage of its good geographic situation, through the creation of several workshops, and it later progressed due to the predominance of agricultural activities linked to creation major industries.
Owing to its urban growth, it was elevated to the category of vila (town) in 1971 by the decree No.495/71.
Until 1980, it was the most important industrial cluster in the municipality.
In a radius of 15 to 30 km, the town is surrounded by the Gardunha
mountain range (in the north) and by the Alvelos and Moradal mountain ranges (west to south), while the Serra da Estrela (the highest mountain range in Portugal), is located 50 km to the north of Alcains. Other mountain ranges, such as Serra da Lousã, Serra do Açor and Serra de São Mamede are also visible from Alcains. The Sierra de Gata
is also located along the Portuguese–Spanish border and can also be seen in the horizon.
Oak and olive trees predominate the landscape of the parish.
-Covilhã
-Guarda
, situated 12 km to the north of Castelo Branco
, 215 km to the northeast of Lisbon
and 280 km southeast from Oporto, while 70 km to the west of the Portuguese-Spanish border (and 380 km from Madrid
). It is served by the A23 highway, by the EN18 and EN352 national roadways, and also a rail-line from Beira Baixa . The more recent IC31 connects the town with Spain in Monfortinho
.
The civil parish comprises only the urbanized town of Alcains, and the lands adjacent, which borders the parishes of Lardosa, Escalos de Cima, Escalos de Baixo, Cafede, Póvoa de Rio de Moinhos and Castelo Branco.
Alcains owes much of its fame to the granite
quarries located here, whose stone is considered to be among the best in Portugal. The work of the stonemasons of Alcains is present in many places in Portugal. The Companhia de Caminhos de Ferro de Portugal (Portuguese Railway Company) applied Alcains stone in many of its stations. The distinct quality of the Alcains stonemasonry is evident in Castelo Branco
, with many of the sculptures and statues that embellish the Paço garden utilizing the granite from the region. In addition to the local branch of the Banco de Portugal
, granite-work has been exported to the municipality of Covilhã
, as well as Viseu
, Guarda
, Coimbra
, Porto
, Lisboa, Estremoz, Elvas and Évora
. There were also examples of their work in Macao
and Maputo
.
Alcains is best known for its agricultural pasturelands, and the dairy industry, is reflected in the famous Alcains Cheese, which is processed within the parish.
Until the 1990s, there was a religious-denomination school in the Seminario de São José, which was, at one time, the High Seminary of the Portalegre-Castelo Branco bishopric
.
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...
civil parish in the municipality
Municipalities of Portugal
In Portugal, municipality or concelho is the most stable subdivision of Portugal since the foundation of the country.Portugal has an entirely separate system of cities and towns. Cities and towns are located in municipalities, but often do not have the same boundaries, even if built-up is continuous...
of Castelo Branco, with a total area of 37,09 km² and approximately 7000 inhabitants (its density is approximately 36 inhabitants per square kilometre).
History
Remote history, indicated by diverse archaeological testaments, indicate a human presence in the area extending back to the pre-historic. During the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period there were implements discovered in the sites such as the Grulha and Lameira de Curia (today housed in the Museum Tavares Proença Júnior). The Romanization of the area was also documented in the number of vestiges found in Cabeço da Pelada, such as a kiln and altar dedicated to the divinty Reve, from the 2nd Century B.C. Remnants from two altars were identified in 2008, during excavations in the Chapel of São Domingos, that also identify the Roman influence on the parish's history.
The toponymy
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
Alcains is derived from the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
word for church and, according to some historians, may have had the same origin as Alcañiz
Alcañiz
Alcañiz is a town and municipality in the province of Teruel, in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. The town is located on the banks of the river Guadalope. Alcañiz is the unofficial capital of the Lower Aragon historical region...
, a city in the Spanish province of Teruel
Teruel
Teruel is a town in Aragon, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country...
.
In the 12th century the region belonged to the numerous villages and lands that comprised the Herdade de Açafa, dominion of Afonso Henriques. Much later, Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
donated these lands to the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
. Throughout the Middle Ages, its development was somewhat irregular, due to the constant demographic recessions of the region. By the end of the 14th century, the creation of the municipalities led to the survey and delimitation of the parish of Alcains.
Rich in historical and religious patrimony, the region was used by the nobility for summer homes and estates; the Viscounts of Oleiros (whom owned the Solares de Alcains) and the Viscounts of Idanha-a-Nova (who owned the Solares dos Goulões) were beneficial in developing the land in this region, and providing job opportunities. Several stories, legends and anecdotes surfaced during this period, identifying the daily humour and mythos of the community. By the early 16th century, Alcains began to recover economically, by taking advantage of its good geographic situation, through the creation of several workshops, and it later progressed due to the predominance of agricultural activities linked to creation major industries.
Owing to its urban growth, it was elevated to the category of vila (town) in 1971 by the decree No.495/71.
Until 1980, it was the most important industrial cluster in the municipality.
Physical geography
Located 370 metres above sea level, the parish of Alcain is crossed by the Ribeira da Líria, an affluent of the Ocreza River, while the Tagus River runs 30 km south of Alcains (its affluents Ponsul and Ocreza rivers run 20 km southeast and 6 km west, respectively). Further to the west, the Zêzere River is located 50 km to the West.In a radius of 15 to 30 km, the town is surrounded by the Gardunha
Gardunha
The Gardunha mountain range , so called by the Moors , is located in central Portugal, in Centro Region, beyond the Serra da Estrela range, giving way to an extensive plain called Cova da Beira. It was covered with vineyards in the time of King Dinis, who reigned in the 13th and 14th centuries...
mountain range (in the north) and by the Alvelos and Moradal mountain ranges (west to south), while the Serra da Estrela (the highest mountain range in Portugal), is located 50 km to the north of Alcains. Other mountain ranges, such as Serra da Lousã, Serra do Açor and Serra de São Mamede are also visible from Alcains. The Sierra de Gata
Sierra de Gata
Sierra de Gata is a mountain range in the Sistema Central, Spain. The highest point is Peña Canchera .-Description:The Sierra de Gata is located in the northwest of the province of Cáceres, which is in the autonomous community of Extremadura...
is also located along the Portuguese–Spanish border and can also be seen in the horizon.
Oak and olive trees predominate the landscape of the parish.
Climate
Alcains has a Temperate Mediterranean climate that includes: summers that have scarce precipitation, with relatively high temperatures (maximum temperatures above 30°C on many days, with minimums temperatures near 20°C); winters are cold and rainy, with minimum temperatures as low as -3°C (while the maximum temperatures are usually around 12°C). Although winter snowfall is rare, the last major snowstorm occurred between 10–11 January 2010.Human geography
Alcains is located within the urban agglomeration of Castelo BrancoCastelo Branco, Portugal
The city of Castelo Branco is made up of one parish with a population of 30,649.It is located in Castelo Branco Municipality in Castelo Branco District.-History and landmarks:...
-Covilhã
Covilhã
Covilhã is a city in Covilha Municipality in Centro region, Portugal. The city proper has 36,723 inhabitants, and the municipality has an area of 555.6 km² with a total population of 53,501, being composed of 31 parishes. It is located in the Cova da Beira subregion, in the district of...
-Guarda
Guarda, Portugal
Guarda is a city in Guarda Municipality, Portugal. The city has a population of 32 111Guarda was founded in 1199 by the second king of Portugal, Sancho I....
, situated 12 km to the north of Castelo Branco
Castelo Branco, Portugal
The city of Castelo Branco is made up of one parish with a population of 30,649.It is located in Castelo Branco Municipality in Castelo Branco District.-History and landmarks:...
, 215 km to the northeast of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and 280 km southeast from Oporto, while 70 km to the west of the Portuguese-Spanish border (and 380 km from Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
). It is served by the A23 highway, by the EN18 and EN352 national roadways, and also a rail-line from Beira Baixa . The more recent IC31 connects the town with Spain in Monfortinho
Monfortinho
Monfortinho is a parish in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova in Portugal. It covers an area of 53.2 km² and had a population of 608 as of 2001....
.
The civil parish comprises only the urbanized town of Alcains, and the lands adjacent, which borders the parishes of Lardosa, Escalos de Cima, Escalos de Baixo, Cafede, Póvoa de Rio de Moinhos and Castelo Branco.
Economy
Until the mid-20th century, the economy of Alcains experienced a boom of economic growth; its economic growth has under-preformed national growth rates. Alcains was the main industrial centre within the municipality of Castelo Branco, achieving a period of success during the 1960s and 1970s, through the creation and development of several nationally-recognized companies (such as Dielmar, Fábricas Lusitana and Sicel. Other industries in the region include marble and granite masons, butchers and meat-packers, artisans and, at one time, hat producers.Alcains owes much of its fame to the granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
quarries located here, whose stone is considered to be among the best in Portugal. The work of the stonemasons of Alcains is present in many places in Portugal. The Companhia de Caminhos de Ferro de Portugal (Portuguese Railway Company) applied Alcains stone in many of its stations. The distinct quality of the Alcains stonemasonry is evident in Castelo Branco
Castelo Branco, Portugal
The city of Castelo Branco is made up of one parish with a population of 30,649.It is located in Castelo Branco Municipality in Castelo Branco District.-History and landmarks:...
, with many of the sculptures and statues that embellish the Paço garden utilizing the granite from the region. In addition to the local branch of the Banco de Portugal
Banco de Portugal
The Banco de Portugal is the central bank of the Republic of Portugal. Established by a royal charter of 19 November 1846 to act as a commercial bank and issuing bank, it came about as the result of a merger of the Banco de Lisboa and the Companhia de Confiança Nacional, an investment company...
, granite-work has been exported to the municipality of Covilhã
Covilhã
Covilhã is a city in Covilha Municipality in Centro region, Portugal. The city proper has 36,723 inhabitants, and the municipality has an area of 555.6 km² with a total population of 53,501, being composed of 31 parishes. It is located in the Cova da Beira subregion, in the district of...
, as well as Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
, Guarda
Guarda, Portugal
Guarda is a city in Guarda Municipality, Portugal. The city has a population of 32 111Guarda was founded in 1199 by the second king of Portugal, Sancho I....
, 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...
, Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, Lisboa, Estremoz, Elvas and Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
. There were also examples of their work in Macao
Mação
Mação is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 400.0 km² and a total population of 7,763 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of eight parishes, and is located in the Santarém District....
and Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
.
Alcains is best known for its agricultural pasturelands, and the dairy industry, is reflected in the famous Alcains Cheese, which is processed within the parish.
Architecture
Civic
- Chafariz de Santo António (Fountain of Saint Anthony) - located in the Largo of Santo António, the fountain has occupied this space since 1928;
- Estátua do Canteiro (Statue of the Mason) - situated along the Avenida 12 de Novembro, the statute was inaugurated on 7 September 1985 to pay homage the stonemasons that built the parish economy;
- Fonte Maria Rodrigues (Fountain of Maria Rodrigues) - dating to 1632, it is located east of the Chapel of Santa Apolónia;
- Fonte Romana (Roman Fountain) - as much as this fountain resembles a Roman fountain, it was not constructed during this period; this enclosed fountain was constructed in the 17th century;
- Solar da Viscondessa de Oleiros (Estate of the Viscountess of Oleiros), also known as the Casa de Alcains (House of Alcains) - constructed at the beginning of the 18th century, it is symbolized by the monumental gates of the historical estate;
- Solar dos Goulões (Estate of the Goulões) - today the Cultural Centre of Alcains and Instituição de Beneficência (since 1968), but in 18th century it was home of the Goulões family;
- Tanque das Freiras (Nun's Tanque) - situated on the EN18 north of the Chapel of São Domingos, the chapel is known for the coat-of-arms of Sancho IISancho II of PortugalSancho II , nicknamed "the Pious" and "the Caped" or "the Capuched" , , fourth King of Portugal, was the eldest son of Afonso II of Portugal by his wife, Infanta Urraca of Castile...
that is carved into temple facade;
Religious
- Chapel of the Espírito Santo (Divine Holy Spirit) - located two kilometres from the centre of town in the Largo do Espírito Santo, this temple dates to 1689 when it was reconstructed;
- Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Our Lady of Piety), also known as the Chapel of Nossa Senhor das Chagas (Our Lady of the Stigmata) or São Brás - annexed to the Solar dos Goulões, the first mass was celebrated in 1733;
- Chapel of Santa Bárbara (Saint Barbara) - dates back to the 18th century, annexed to the Solar da Viscondessa de Oleiros;
- Chapel of Senhor Jesus do Lírio (Sr. Jesus of the Lily) - a chapel situated alongside the cemetery dating to 1927;
- Chapel of the Seminário de São José (Seminary of Saint JosephSaint JosephSaint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
) - a granite chapel constructed in 1937; - Chapel of Santa Apolónia (Saint ApolloniaSaint ApolloniaSaint Apollonia was one of a group of virgin martyrs who suffered in Alexandria during a local uprising against the Christians prior to the persecution of Decius. According to legend, her torture included having all of her teeth violently pulled out or shattered...
) - constructed in the 17th century (1639) but repaired in 1965; - Chapel of São Pedro (Saint Peter) - situated in the direction of Escalos de Cima, and completed in the first quarter of the 17th century alongside a Christian pillory;
- Chapel of São Domingos (Saint DominicSaint DominicSaint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
) - located in the western part of the village, alongside the A23 motorway, the chapel was constructed in the 17th century; - Matriz Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of Conception) - the single-naveNaveIn Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
16th century church located on the Rua da Liberidade is composed of a front façade with two bell-towers (a triangular apex and niche with an image of Virgin Mary) and an interior that includes rectangular stained-glass, azulejoAzulejoAzulejo from the Arabic word Zellige زليج is a form of Portuguese or Spanish painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. They have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries...
s that circle the nave and rectangular pulpit, as well as sculpted friezes and cornices in wood. In 1590, the local population requested the authorization to establish a tax in order to refurbish the interior furniture. But, in 1642, while the church was being remodelled and reconstructed, the congregation operated from the Chapel of the Espírito Santo; similar remodelling projects were undertaken in 1722 and then in 1754, master João Domingos do Vale was contracted to refurbish the stones. - Monumento à Virgem Maria (Monument to the Virgin Mary) - erected in June 1953, this column of granite was carved by stonemasons by José André Júnior;
Education
The town has a nursery school, two kindergartens (J/I de Feiteira and JI de Pedreira), a primary school (Escola Basica de Alcains, which includes two buildings, 50 meters apart) and a combination middle and secondary school (EB 2-3/S José Sanches) equipped with a gym. Originally, the main primary school was located in Feiteira (now a kindergarten), which was inaugurated in 1942, but the building was remodelled and primary activities transferred to the current 19th century-era building. The space was remodelled and expanded to accommodate the students, which at one time served as the local courts/house-of-justice.Until the 1990s, there was a religious-denomination school in the Seminario de São José, which was, at one time, the High Seminary of the Portalegre-Castelo Branco bishopric
Roman Catholic Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portalegre–Castelo Branco has carried this name since 1956, when the historical diocese of Portalegre was renamed. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Lisbon.-History:...
.
Associations
- Clube Desportivo de Alcains
- Alcaténis
- Clube Recreativo Alcainense
- Nucleo Sportinguista de Alcains
- Casa do Benfica de Alcains
- Associação Caça e Pesca de Alcains
- Associação Papa-Léguas
- Corpo Nacional de Escutas - 175
- Associação de Dadores de Sangue da Beira Interior Sul
- Associação Recreativa e Cultural de Alcains (ARCA)
- Alzine
- Megajovem
Fairs and Markets
- Feira dos Santos (Santos Fair) – an ancient fair that takes place every November 1 in the town’s streets. Dry fruits and the main product of the fair, which is one of the most important of the region.
- Feira do Queijo de Alcains (Alcains Cheese Fair) – It takes place every year, on the weekend before Easter.
- Mercado Semanal (Weekly Market) - on Saturdays, in Rua do Arrabalde.
Festivals
- Festa das Papas – in the last weekend of August, the Papas de Carolo are cooked in the streets of Alcains. This event brings numerous visitors to enjoy the sweet Papas for free.
- Romaria de Santa Apolónia – It takes place in the 5th weekend after Easter and it brings a crowd of people to the Santa Apolónia grounds. It is a romaria that combines the religious with the popular. It is organized by a group of locals, there is a procession that leaves from Alcains Church heading to the Santa Apolónia Chapel. Many townspeople carry offerings in wooden trays to be given to the Saint. Lunch usually takes place in the park annexed to the grounds. Tradition says that, before the mass that ends the celebrations, the townspeople must give 3 laps around the Chapel.
- Festins – A festival targeted for the young people that takes place in July or August, organized by the local association Alzine. It lasts for 3 to 4 days combining dance, cinema, theater, yoga, lectures and even donkey rides.
- East Festival – one of the greatest DJ festivals of the region, it took place for the first time on June 10, 2009 in the Alcains stadium. A crowd of more than 7.500 people welcomed world-class DJs Tiesto, Yves Larock, Diego Miranda and other local Djs. The second edition of the festival is scheduled for 2010.
- Festas de "nomes próprios " – they are essentially gathering that annually gather people (essentially men) with the same name. For example: “Festa dos Joões”, “Festa dos Josés”, “Festa dos Manuéis”, “Festa dos Antónios”, etc.
- Jantares da Malta – every year, on the night of October 31 there are the Malta dinners, in which each person from Alcains gets together with those who were born on the same year. The different years have a dinner on the town’s restaurants and then gather at the end of the dinner of the center of the town, where the party can last all night.
- Semana do Agrupamento – for five days, and to mark the end of each school year, the Schools of Alcains have a festival that include cultural activities, sports, traditional games, a crafts fair. In 2009 the Schools decxided to recreate the Santo António celebration, that did not take place since 1977.
Gastronomy
- Alcains cheese
- Sopa antiga de Alcains (old soup of Alcains)
- Cabrito recheado (Stuffed goat)
- Papas de carolo
- Bolo de festa/Páscoa (Easter cake)
- Biscoitos de azeite (Olive oil biscuitts)
- Broas de mel (Honey cakes)
Notable citizens
- António dos Santos Ramalho EanesAntónio Ramalho EanesAntónio dos Santos Ramalho Eanes, GColTE, GCL, CavA, KE is a Portuguese general and politician who was the 16th President of Portugal from 1976 to 1986.-Background:...
, GColTEOrder of the Tower and SwordThe Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
, GCLOrder of LibertyThe Order of Liberty, or Freedom, is a Portuguese honorific civil order that distinguishes relevant services to the cause of democracy and freedom, in the defense of the values of civilization and human dignification...
, CavAOrder of AvizThe Military Order of Aviz , previously to 1910 Royal Military Order of Aviz , previously to 1789 Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz , previously Knights of St. Benedict of Aviz or Friars of Santa Maria of Évora, is a Portuguese Order of Chivalry...
, KEOrder of the ElephantThe Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...
(25 January 1935) is a PortuguesePortugalPortugal , 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...
general and politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who was the 16thPresident of PortugalPresident of PortugalPortugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
from 1976 to 1986; - António Trigueiros Coelho de Aragão, a businessman and founder of Fábricas Lusitana in 1954, who was also initiator of Fábrica de São Pedro, the creator of the Sindicato dos Pedreiros do distrito de Castelo Branco; responsible for the construction and free donation of lands for the local Casa do Povo and stadium (named in his honour);
- Emídio Pires da Cruz, a politician, who was a Republican prosecutor in 1944 and Sub-secretary for Social Assistance in 1957;
- Manuel Sanches Goulão, sixth bishop of the Diocese of São Tomé de Meliapor, between 1719–1726, who died in a shipwreak en-route to India;
- Aurélio Granada Escudeiro, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of AngraRoman Catholic Diocese of AngraThe Roman Catholic diocese of Angra is in the Azores, Portugal. The episcopal see of the Azores, created in 1534 by Pope Paul III, has a bishop who is a suffragan of the patriarch of Lisbon, Cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo, of the archdiocese of Lisbon. It was vacant from 1637 to 1671...
, between 1979 and 1996; - José Manuel Tavares Castilho, professor, investigator and historian, licensed in History at the Faculty of Letters at University of Lisbon (1986), Master of Sociology (1997) and Doctorate in Contemporary Social History (2008) at ISCTE - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, responsible for the Os Deputados da Assembleia Nacional, 1935–1974, Assembleia da República/Texto, 2009 (which was honoured by the Calouste Gulbenkian FoundationCalouste Gulbenkian FoundationThe Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a Portuguese private foundation of public utility whose statutory aims are in the fields of arts, charity, education, and science...
's Prize for Modern and Contemporary History in 2010; - Fernanda de Oliveira Ribeiro, journalist and television of the SIC program Primeiro Jornal;
- Maria Cristina Vicente Pires Granada, politician and deputy to the Assembly of the Republic, later councilmen at the municipal council of Castelo Branco.
External links
- Municipality of Castelo Branco (Parish of Alcains) (in Portuguese)
- Museu do Canteiro (in Portuguese)
- Escola EB23-José Sanches de Alcains (in Portuguese)
- Agrupamento de Escolas José Sanches de Alcains (in Portuguese)
- Clube Desportivo de Alcains (in Portuguese)
- Associação Papa-Léguas de Alcains (in Portuguese)
- Um olhar sobre a Vila (in Portuguese)