Assafarge
Encyclopedia
Assafarge is a Portuguese
civil parish
in the southern portion of the municipality of Coimbra
, Centro Region, with a population of 2268 inhabitants (2001 Census) and occupying an area of 9.72 km².
The unearthing, between the localities of Carvalhais de Cima and Carvalhais de Baixo, of several irregular cavities allude to Moorish influence in the zone. It is also likely that local peoples may have dugout these holes in order to discover the treasure of the Moors, which they assumed was buried in the spaces.
The local toponymy
had its base in these early Arab settlers; the name, sometimes written as Açafarge, Açafargel, Safarge, Assafarja, Azofargelas, Azofarge, Asafarge, Assofragea or Alçoforge, may have originated from the Arabic
Açafargel (plural Açafarge), which refers to the pome
fruit quince
.
Evidence from historical documents suggest that the parish was founded around the 12th century (although no definitive record exists), and originated from its de-annexation (in 1120) from the neighbouring parish of Castelo Viegas.
, with the municipality of Condeixa-a-Nova (civil parish of Bem da Fé and Vila Seca). Its municipal neighbours include the parishes of Almalaguês (to the southeast), Castelo Viegas (to the northeast), Santa Clara (in the north), Antanhol (in the northwest), and Cernache (in the southwest).
Situated on a hilltop plateau overlooking the Mondego River, the region is marked by limestone hills covered in pine forests, dispersed by vineyards.
By the end of the 20th century, the growth of the parish originated in its proximity to Coimbra; the resident population in 1981 was 1714, grew slightly to 1886 (in 1991), reaching approximately 2200 inhabitants in 1998.
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
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
in the southern portion of the municipality of Coimbra
Coimbra Municipality
Coimbra is a municipality in central Portugal, whose core is the city of Coimbra. It is in the district of Coimbra, being the principal centre in the Centro region, the seat of the Baixo Mondego subregion and former capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages...
, Centro Region, with a population of 2268 inhabitants (2001 Census) and occupying an area of 9.72 km².
History
The earliest histories of this region include the discovery of a polished stone implement, although there are no records prior to Roman intersession in the territory.The unearthing, between the localities of Carvalhais de Cima and Carvalhais de Baixo, of several irregular cavities allude to Moorish influence in the zone. It is also likely that local peoples may have dugout these holes in order to discover the treasure of the Moors, which they assumed was buried in the spaces.
The local 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...
had its base in these early Arab settlers; the name, sometimes written as Açafarge, Açafargel, Safarge, Assafarja, Azofargelas, Azofarge, Asafarge, Assofragea or Alçoforge, may have originated 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...
Açafargel (plural Açafarge), which refers to the pome
Pome
In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subfamily Maloideae of the family Rosaceae.A pome is an accessory fruit composed of one or more carpels surrounded by accessory tissue...
fruit quince
Quince
The quince , or Cydonia oblonga, is the sole member of the genus Cydonia and native to warm-temperate southwest Asia in the Caucasus region...
.
Evidence from historical documents suggest that the parish was founded around the 12th century (although no definitive record exists), and originated from its de-annexation (in 1120) from the neighbouring parish of Castelo Viegas.
Geography
The civil parish is located along the southern border of the municipality of CoimbraCoimbra Municipality
Coimbra is a municipality in central Portugal, whose core is the city of Coimbra. It is in the district of Coimbra, being the principal centre in the Centro region, the seat of the Baixo Mondego subregion and former capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages...
, with the municipality of Condeixa-a-Nova (civil parish of Bem da Fé and Vila Seca). Its municipal neighbours include the parishes of Almalaguês (to the southeast), Castelo Viegas (to the northeast), Santa Clara (in the north), Antanhol (in the northwest), and Cernache (in the southwest).
Situated on a hilltop plateau overlooking the Mondego River, the region is marked by limestone hills covered in pine forests, dispersed by vineyards.
By the end of the 20th century, the growth of the parish originated in its proximity to Coimbra; the resident population in 1981 was 1714, grew slightly to 1886 (in 1991), reaching approximately 2200 inhabitants in 1998.
Architecture
- Chapel of Abrunheira
- Chapel of Carvalhais de Baixo
- Chapel of Santo Amaro
- Chapel of Palheira
- Chapel of Vale de Cantaro
- Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição
- Church of Palheira
- Cross of Abrunheira
- Cross of Assafarge