Leiria
Encyclopedia
Leiria is a city in Leiria Municipality
in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leiria-Fátima
.
and Porto
. The distance to Lisbon is 135 km, to Coimbra
72 km and to Porto 179 km. The historic city centre spreads between the castle hill and the river Lis.
Leiria is also included in the Urban Community of Leiria. As the main city in this community, the area of influence of Leiria spreads over the cities of Marinha Grande, Ourém
, Alcobaça, Fátima
, Pombal
as well the municipalities/town seats of Batalha, Porto de Mós
and Nazaré
located nearby.
linking Oporto to Lisbon
, passing by Coimbra
and Leiria. A railway Linha do Oeste (west railway line linking Cacém (Sintra
/Lisbon area) to Figueira da Foz
). Leiria railway station is a few km from the city centre (about 2 km). The main bus station service is in the city centre. There is a small airfield (Aérodromo de Leiria), used for sports and recreation. Two bus loops, called Mobilis, serve the town.
, an indigenous people from Iberia, established a settlement near (around 7 km) present-day Leiria. This settlement was later occupied by the Romans
, who expanded it under the name Collippo. The stones of the ancient Roman town were used in the Middle Ages to build much of Leiria.
Little is known about the area in Visigothic times, but during the period of Arab domination Leiria was already a village with a garrison. Moorish Leiria
was captured by the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques
in 1135, during the so-called Reconquista
. The settlement was shortly retaken by the Moors in 1137 and then in 1140. In 1142 Afonso Henriques reconquered Leiria, dating from this year its first foral
(compilation of feudal rights) to stimulate the colonisation of the area.
Both Afonso Henriques and Sancho I
rebuilt the walls and the Leiria Castle
to avoid new Moorish incursions. Most of the population lived inside the protective city walls, but already in the 12th century part of the population lived outside the walls. The oldest church of Leiria, the Church of Saint Peter (Igreja de São Pedro), built in romanesque
style in the last quarter of the 12th century, served the parish located outside the walls.
During the Middle Ages
the importance of the village increased, and it was the setting of several cortes (feudal parliaments). The first of the cortes held in Leiria took place in 1245, under King Afonso II
. In the early 14th century, King Dinis I
restored the keep
tower of the citadel
of the castle, as can be seen in an inscription in the tower. He also built a royal residence in Leiria (now lost), and lived for long periods in the town, which he donated as feud to his wife, Isabel. The King also ordered the plantation of the famous Pine Forest of Leiria (Pinhal de Leiria) near the coast. Later, the wood from this forest would be used to build the ships used in the Portuguese Navigations
of the 15th and 16th centuries.
In the late 15th century, King John I
built a royal palace within the walls of the castle of Leiria
. This palace, with elegant gothic
galleries that offered wonderful views of the town and surrounding landscape, was totally in ruins but was partially rebuilt in the 20th century. John I also sponsored the rebuilding in late gothic style of the old Church of Our Lady of the Rock (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena), located inside the castle.
Towards the end of the 15th century the town continued to grow, occupying the area from the castle hill down to the river Lis. King Manuel I
gave it a new foral
in 1510, and in 1545 it was elevated to the category of city and became see of a Diocese
. The Cathedral of Leiria was built in the second half of the 16th century in a mix of late manueline
and mannerist styles.
Compared to the Middle Ages, the subsequent history of Leiria is of relative decadence. In the 20th century, however, its strategic position in the Portuguese territory favoured the development of a diversified industry.
The city is the birthplace of several leading Portuguese poets, such as Afonso Lopes Vieira and Francisco Rodrigues Lobo, after whom the central square is named. Today the square is home to a thriving café culture, as well as being regularly used for cultural events. Other poetes: The King D.Dinis (Denis of Portugal
) and the writer Eça de Queiroz who wrote his first realist novel, O Crime do Padre Amaro
("The Sin of Father Amaro"), which is set in the city and was first published in 1875. There are also Film and TV adaptations.
The city has several cultural associations and bookshops who give presentations of cultural and artistic projects, with Bookshop Arquivo and Cultural Association Célula Membrana offering the busiest calendar of events.
In recent years, Leiria has seen much re-development to the banks of the river Liz . These developments have created several new parks, public spaces, children's play areas and a series of themed bridges. Additionally, a long promenade has been created which is popular with both walkers and joggers.
There are several summer Festivals held in the region. The town hosts a monthly antiques market.
–Porto
), the A8 (Lisbon-Leiria) and the A17 (Marinha Grande–Aveiro).
The city is also served by the Linha do Oeste
railway line, which serves the central western coast of Portugal.
institution of higher education
, the Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
http://www.ipleiria.pt/ which has 5 schools. Secondar education schools include, Escola e,b 2,3 D.Dinis http://www.eb23-d-dinis.rcts.pt/, and Escola dos Capuchos http://www.eb1-capuchos.rcts.pt/, Escola Secundária Afonso Lopes Vieira, Escola secundária Rodrigues Lobo, Escola secundária Domingos Sequeira.
The city of Leiria has its own football (soccer) team, the União Desportiva de Leiria
, commonly called just União de Leiria. It currently plays at the top of Portuguese
football, the Liga Zon Sagres
.
An important facility is the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa
, situated close to Leiria castle. The modern stadium has a capacity for 25,000 people and was built for the 2004 European Football Championship.
Efforts are being made to sell it, as it only brings a loss to the city.
Leiria Municipality
Leiria Municipality is located in Leiria District in the Centro Region, Portugal. It contains the city of Leiria. It has nearly 120,000 inhabitants.-Demographics:According to the 2001 census, the population of the city is 50,200....
in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leiria-Fátima
Roman Catholic Diocese of Leiria-Fátima
The Portuguese Catholic Diocese of Leiria–Fátima has existed under this name since 1984, the diocese of Leiria being renamed in that year. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Lisbon....
.
Geography and location
Leiria is located in the Centro Region and sub region of Pinhal Litoral, about halfway between LisbonLisbon
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 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...
. The distance to Lisbon is 135 km, to 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...
72 km and to Porto 179 km. The historic city centre spreads between the castle hill and the river Lis.
Leiria is also included in the Urban Community of Leiria. As the main city in this community, the area of influence of Leiria spreads over the cities of Marinha Grande, Ourém
Ourém
Ourém is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 416.6 km² and a total population of 49,269 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of about 12,000.The municipality is composed of 18 parishes, and is located in the district of Santarém...
, Alcobaça, Fátima
Fatima
-People:* Fatima , a female given name of Arabic origin* Fatima bint Muhammad, daughter of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad* Fatima Jinnah, the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah...
, Pombal
Pombal, Portugal
Pombal is a town in Pombal Municipality, Portugal. The population of the city is about 16.000 inhabitants....
as well the municipalities/town seats of Batalha, Porto de Mós
Porto de Mós
Porto de Mós is a town in Porto de Mós Municipality in Portugal....
and Nazaré
Nazaré, Portugal
Nazaré is a town in Nazaré Municipality in Portugal with a total area of 82,4 km² and a total population of 14,904 inhabitants. It is in subregion Oeste and Leiria district....
located nearby.
Transport
Leiria is serviced by several motorways (A1 A8 A17 A19), including the A1 - Auto-estrada do NorteA1 - Auto-estrada do Norte
The A1 is the principal motorway in Portugal. It connects Lisbon, the capital, to Porto, the country's second-largest city, and serves other important cities like Coimbra and Leiria. A1 is operated by Brisa - Auto-estradas de Portugal, S.A....
linking Oporto to 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...
, passing by 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...
and Leiria. A railway Linha do Oeste (west railway line linking Cacém (Sintra
Sintra
Sintra is a town within the municipality of Sintra in the Grande Lisboa subregion of Portugal. Owing to its 19th century Romantic architecture and landscapes, becoming a major tourist centre, visited by many day-trippers who travel from the urbanized suburbs and capital of Lisbon.In addition to...
/Lisbon area) to Figueira da Foz
Figueira da Foz
Figueira da Foz , also known as Figueira for short, is a municipality in the Coimbra District, in Portugal. It is located at the mouth of the Mondego River, 40 km west of Coimbra, and sheltered by hills ....
). Leiria railway station is a few km from the city centre (about 2 km). The main bus station service is in the city centre. There is a small airfield (Aérodromo de Leiria), used for sports and recreation. Two bus loops, called Mobilis, serve the town.
Climate
Leiria is close to the Atlantic Ocean. Spring and summer months are usually sunny and the temperatures very high during July and August, with highs usually above 30 °C (86 °F) and sometimes during July and August the temperature can reach 40 °C (104 °F). Autumn and winter are typically rainy and windy, yet sunny days are not rare either, the temperatures rarely fall below 5 °C (41 °F), usually staying at an average of 10 °C (50 °F). Leiria's climate is classified as Atlantic-Mediterranean.History
The region around Leiria has been inhabited for a long time, although its early history is very obscure. The TurduliTurduli
The Turduli were an ancient Celtiberian tribe of Lusitania, akin to the Lusitanians. They lived in the south of modern Portugal, in the east of the province of Alentejo, along the Guadiana valley , and Extremadura proper...
, an indigenous people from Iberia, established a settlement near (around 7 km) present-day Leiria. This settlement was later occupied by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, who expanded it under the name Collippo. The stones of the ancient Roman town were used in the Middle Ages to build much of Leiria.
Little is known about the area in Visigothic times, but during the period of Arab domination Leiria was already a village with a garrison. Moorish Leiria
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
was captured by the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques
Afonso I of Portugal
Afonso I or Dom Afonso Henriques , more commonly known as Afonso Henriques , nicknamed "the Conqueror" , "the Founder" or "the Great" by the Portuguese, and El-Bortukali and Ibn-Arrik by the Moors whom he fought, was the first King of Portugal...
in 1135, during the so-called Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
. The settlement was shortly retaken by the Moors in 1137 and then in 1140. In 1142 Afonso Henriques reconquered Leiria, dating from this year its first foral
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 ....
(compilation of feudal rights) to stimulate the colonisation of the area.
Sancho I of Portugal
Sancho I , nicknamed the Populator , second monarch of Portugal, was born on 11 November 1154 in Coimbra and died on 26 March 1212 in the same city. He was the second but only surviving legitimate son and fourth child of Afonso I of Portugal by his wife, Maud of Savoy. Sancho succeeded his father...
rebuilt the walls and the Leiria Castle
Leiria Castle
The Leiria Castle is a castle in the city Leiria in Portugal. It has been listed as a National monument since 1910.-External links:* at IPPAR...
to avoid new Moorish incursions. Most of the population lived inside the protective city walls, but already in the 12th century part of the population lived outside the walls. The oldest church of Leiria, the Church of Saint Peter (Igreja de São Pedro), built in romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style in the last quarter of the 12th century, served the parish located outside the walls.
During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the importance of the village increased, and it was the setting of several cortes (feudal parliaments). The first of the cortes held in Leiria took place in 1245, under King Afonso II
Afonso II of Portugal
Afonso II , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , nicknamed "the Fat" , third king of Portugal, was born in Coimbra on 23 April 1185 and died on 25 March 1223 in the same city. He was the second but eldest surviving son of Sancho I of Portugal by his wife, Dulce, Infanta of Aragon...
. In the early 14th century, King Dinis I
Denis of Portugal
Dinis , called the Farmer King , was the sixth King of Portugal and the Algarve. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile and grandson of king Alfonso X of Castile , Dinis succeeded his father in 1279.-Biography:As heir to the throne, Infante Dinis was...
restored the keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
tower of the citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
of the castle, as can be seen in an inscription in the tower. He also built a royal residence in Leiria (now lost), and lived for long periods in the town, which he donated as feud to his wife, Isabel. The King also ordered the plantation of the famous Pine Forest of Leiria (Pinhal de Leiria) near the coast. Later, the wood from this forest would be used to build the ships used in the Portuguese Navigations
Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
of the 15th and 16th centuries.
In the late 15th century, King John I
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
built a royal palace within the walls of the castle of Leiria
Leiria Castle
The Leiria Castle is a castle in the city Leiria in Portugal. It has been listed as a National monument since 1910.-External links:* at IPPAR...
. This palace, with elegant gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
galleries that offered wonderful views of the town and surrounding landscape, was totally in ruins but was partially rebuilt in the 20th century. John I also sponsored the rebuilding in late gothic style of the old Church of Our Lady of the Rock (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena), located inside the castle.
Towards the end of the 15th century the town continued to grow, occupying the area from the castle hill down to the river Lis. 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...
gave it a new foral
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 ....
in 1510, and in 1545 it was elevated to the category of city and became see of a Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
. The Cathedral of Leiria was built in the second half of the 16th century in a mix of late manueline
Manueline
The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
and mannerist styles.
Compared to the Middle Ages, the subsequent history of Leiria is of relative decadence. In the 20th century, however, its strategic position in the Portuguese territory favoured the development of a diversified industry.
Culture
As well as being a site of historical interest, the Castle of Leiria provides a venue for cultural events . Situated close to the castle, the Church of Saint Peter (Igreja de São Pedro) is used as the venue of Leiria's annual festival of music. Leiria is also home to m|i|mo http://mimo.cm-leiria.pt/, Portugal's only Museum of the Moving Image and the Paper museum http://geomium.com/place/0000219082/ (Museu do moinho do papel) situated at the site of Portugal's first paper mill. The Theatre Miguel Franco in the market Sant'Ana (Mercado de Sant'Ana) and The Theatre José Lúcio da Silva https://www.teatrojlsilva.pt/ are venues for theatre, music and dance performances, as well as cinema.The city is the birthplace of several leading Portuguese poets, such as Afonso Lopes Vieira and Francisco Rodrigues Lobo, after whom the central square is named. Today the square is home to a thriving café culture, as well as being regularly used for cultural events. Other poetes: The King D.Dinis (Denis of Portugal
Denis of Portugal
Dinis , called the Farmer King , was the sixth King of Portugal and the Algarve. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile and grandson of king Alfonso X of Castile , Dinis succeeded his father in 1279.-Biography:As heir to the throne, Infante Dinis was...
) and the writer Eça de Queiroz who wrote his first realist novel, O Crime do Padre Amaro
O Crime do Padre Amaro
O Crime do Padre Amaro is a novel by the 19th-century Portuguese writer José Maria de Eça de Queiroz. It was first published in 1875 to great controversy.-Plot summary:...
("The Sin of Father Amaro"), which is set in the city and was first published in 1875. There are also Film and TV adaptations.
The city has several cultural associations and bookshops who give presentations of cultural and artistic projects, with Bookshop Arquivo and Cultural Association Célula Membrana offering the busiest calendar of events.
In recent years, Leiria has seen much re-development to the banks of the river Liz . These developments have created several new parks, public spaces, children's play areas and a series of themed bridges. Additionally, a long promenade has been created which is popular with both walkers and joggers.
There are several summer Festivals held in the region. The town hosts a monthly antiques market.
Economy
Leiria has an economy concentrated on services and light industries. It has several industries related with plastics and moulds, as well as animal food, milling, cement, and civil construction, among other light industries. Agriculture, tourism, and state-run public services, such as education (including the Polytechnical Institute of Leiria), health (the district hospital Hospital de Santo André) and general public administration, are an important part of Leiria's economy.Transport
Leiria is connected to its suburbs and the rest of Portugal by a motorway network. There are three motorways passing the city; the A1 (LisbonLisbon
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...
–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...
), the A8 (Lisbon-Leiria) and the A17 (Marinha Grande–Aveiro).
The city is also served by the Linha do Oeste
Linha do Oeste
Linha do Oeste is a railway line serving the central western coast of Portugal belonging to REFER network. The line was opened in 1887.Passenger services are operated by CP....
railway line, which serves the central western coast of Portugal.
Leiria-based newspapers
- Região de Leiria – Weekly
- Jornal de Leiria – Weekly
- Diário de Leiria – Daily
- Quinze – Monthly
- O Mensageiro – Monthly
Education
Leiria hosts a national public polytechnicPolytechnic (Portugal)
A polytechnic is a higher education educational institution in Portugal created in the 1980s. After 1998 they were upgraded to institutions which are allowed to confer licenciatura degrees. Before then, they only awarded short-cycle degrees which were known as bacharelatos and didn't provide...
institution of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
, the Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
The Polytechnic Institute of Leiria is a public institution of Higher Education that offers courses of training on an Undegraduate Degree, Masters, Post-Graduate, Technology Specialization and Preparation Courses for Access to Higher Education level...
http://www.ipleiria.pt/ which has 5 schools. Secondar education schools include, Escola e,b 2,3 D.Dinis http://www.eb23-d-dinis.rcts.pt/, and Escola dos Capuchos http://www.eb1-capuchos.rcts.pt/, Escola Secundária Afonso Lopes Vieira, Escola secundária Rodrigues Lobo, Escola secundária Domingos Sequeira.
Sport
UD Leiria
União Desportiva de Leiria, commonly known as União de Leiria , is a Portuguese football club based in Leiria, central Portugal. Founded on 6 June 1966, it currently plays in the Portuguese first division, holding home matches at Municipal da Marinha Grande, with a 6,000-seat capacity.-Brief...
, commonly called just União de Leiria. It currently plays at the top of Portuguese
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...
football, the Liga Zon Sagres
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
.
An important facility is the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa
Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa
The Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa is a football stadium in Leiria, Portugal, built as a venue for the UEFA Euro 2004 finals held in Portugal. It is the home for Leiria's main football club, União de Leiria. It was designed by Tomás Taveira in 2003. The stadium contains different coloured seats as...
, situated close to Leiria castle. The modern stadium has a capacity for 25,000 people and was built for the 2004 European Football Championship.
Efforts are being made to sell it, as it only brings a loss to the city.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Leiria is twinned with:-
HaltonHalton (borough)Halton is a local government district in North West England, with borough status and administered by a unitary authority. It was created in 1974 as a district of Cheshire, and became a unitary authority area on 1 April 1998. It consists of the towns of Widnes and Runcorn and the civil parishes of...
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