Santarém, Portugal
Encyclopedia
Santarém is a city in the Santarém Municipality
in Portugal. The city itself has a population of 28,760 and the entire municipality has 64,124 inhabitants.
It is the capital of Santarém District.
The present Mayor is Francisco Moita Flores, a former police detective and a television screenwriter
, elected by the Social Democratic Party
.
The municipal holiday is March 19.
river, 65 km northeast from Lisbon.
, Romans
, Visigoths, Moors
and Portuguese Christians. Of the various legends related to the foundation of Santarém, the most famous tells of the Visigoth Saint Iria (or Irene), who was supposedly martyred in Tomar
(Nabantia) and whose uncorrupted body reached Santarém. In her honour, the name of the town (then known by its Latin name Scalabis) would later be changed to Sancta Irene, from which Santarém would eventually be derived.
The foundation of the city is attributed to the Romans, who occupied the region in the 2nd century BC and named the city Scalabis. During the Roman period, Scalabis was an important commercial post in the mid-Tagus region, and was the administrative capital of one of the regions (Conventus Escalabitanus) of Lusitania
.
After the period of Visigoth domination, Santarém was taken in the 8th century by the Arabs, under whose rule the city became an important cultural centre. Important Arab personalities born in Santarém (or Shantarin, in Arabic) are the poet and historian Ibn Bassam
(died 1147) and the poet Ibn Sara (1043–1123).
The period of Muslim domination was finished in 1147 by the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques. According to the chronicles, the King and a small army managed to take the city after some men climbed the walls during the night and opened the gates. The story of the conquest of Santarém is told in a heroic tone in the mediaeval chronicle De expugnatione Scalabis, which celebrates and justifies the power of the first Portuguese King. From the military point of view, the conquest of Santarém and, in that same year, of Lisbon
were crucial steps in the Reconquista
of Portugal.
After the reconquest of the Santarém, the city was frequently visited by the Kings, and many feudal parliaments (Cortes) were held in Santarém. King Fernando I, in particular, was very fond of the city and chose to be buried in the Convent of Saint Francis (his tomb is now in the Carmo Museum
in Lisbon). The city was indeed one of the most important in mediaeval Portugal, as attested by its large number of monasteries and its royal palace (now lost where the Cathedral stands). There are still enough examples of Gothic
buildings in the city for it to be known as the "Capital of the Portuguese Gothic".
In the 15th century, during the period of Portuguese maritime explorations, expeditions like the conquest of Ceuta
(1415) were planned in the royal palace of Santarém. Many important personalities related to this historical time are buried in the churches of Santarém. Pedro de Meneses, first governor of Ceuta (1415–1437) after the Portuguese conquest, is buried in a magnificent Gothic tomb in the Church of the Grace (Igreja da Graça). In the same church is buried Pedro Alvares Cabral
, the navigator that discovered Brazil
in 1500.
The following centuries represented periods of decadence for Santarém. The big earthquake of 1755 hit the city hard, and many historical monuments were lost. During the Napoleonic invasions
(early 19th century) the city was invaded and pillaged.
In the second half of the 19th century many improvements reached Santarém, like canalised water, gas light, the building of a bridge over the Tagus and the railway (1861). In the 20th century the infrastructure of the city (education, housing, commerce) continued to improve, and the economy of the city remained mainly dedicated to the production of agricultural goods.
–Gothic
, mendicant (plain style derived from the mendicant orders
) and late (flamboyant) Gothic. In addition, the city has nice examples of Manueline
, Renaissance
, Mannerist and Baroque
architecture.
Santarém Municipality
Santarém Municipality is located in Santarém District and contains the city of Santarém.-Parishes:* Abitureiras* Abrã* Achete* Alcanede* Alcanhões* Almoster* Amiais de Baixo* Arneiro das Milhariças* Azoia de Baixo* Azoia de Cima* Casével...
in Portugal. The city itself has a population of 28,760 and the entire municipality has 64,124 inhabitants.
It is the capital of Santarém District.
The present Mayor is Francisco Moita Flores, a former police detective and a television screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, elected by the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party...
.
The municipal holiday is March 19.
Geography
The city of Santarém stands on a plateau, on the right bank of the TagusTagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
river, 65 km northeast from Lisbon.
History
The region of Santarém has been inhabited since pre-historic times, first by the Lusitani people, and then by the Phoenicians, GreeksAncient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is 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....
, Visigoths, Moors
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...
and Portuguese Christians. Of the various legends related to the foundation of Santarém, the most famous tells of the Visigoth Saint Iria (or Irene), who was supposedly martyred in Tomar
Tomar
Tomar Municipality has a total area of 351.0 km² and a total population of 43,007 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Santarém District...
(Nabantia) and whose uncorrupted body reached Santarém. In her honour, the name of the town (then known by its Latin name Scalabis) would later be changed to Sancta Irene, from which Santarém would eventually be derived.
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
.
After the period of Visigoth domination, Santarém was taken in the 8th century by the Arabs, under whose rule the city became an important cultural centre. Important Arab personalities born in Santarém (or Shantarin, in Arabic) are the poet and historian Ibn Bassam
Ibn Bassam
Ibn Bassam was a poet and historian from al-Andalus. He was born in Santarém and died in 1147....
(died 1147) and the poet Ibn Sara (1043–1123).
The period of Muslim domination was finished in 1147 by the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques. According to the chronicles, the King and a small army managed to take the city after some men climbed the walls during the night and opened the gates. The story of the conquest of Santarém is told in a heroic tone in the mediaeval chronicle De expugnatione Scalabis, which celebrates and justifies the power of the first Portuguese King. From the military point of view, the conquest of Santarém and, in that same year, 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...
were crucial steps in the 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...
of Portugal.
After the reconquest of the Santarém, the city was frequently visited by the Kings, and many feudal parliaments (Cortes) were held in Santarém. King Fernando I, in particular, was very fond of the city and chose to be buried in the Convent of Saint Francis (his tomb is now in the Carmo Museum
Carmo Convent (Lisbon)
The Carmo Convent is a historical building in Lisbon, Portugal. The mediaeval convent was ruined in the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, and the ruins of its Gothic church are the main trace of the great earthquake still visible in the city.The Carmo Convent is located in the Chiado neighbourhood, on a...
in Lisbon). The city was indeed one of the most important in mediaeval Portugal, as attested by its large number of monasteries and its royal palace (now lost where the Cathedral stands). There are still enough examples of 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....
buildings in the city for it to be known as the "Capital of the Portuguese Gothic".
In the 15th century, during the period of Portuguese maritime explorations, expeditions like the conquest of Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
(1415) were planned in the royal palace of Santarém. Many important personalities related to this historical time are buried in the churches of Santarém. Pedro de Meneses, first governor of Ceuta (1415–1437) after the Portuguese conquest, is buried in a magnificent Gothic tomb in the Church of the Grace (Igreja da Graça). In the same church is buried Pedro Alvares Cabral
Pedro Álvares Cabral
Pedro Álvares Cabral was a Portuguese noble, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the discoverer of Brazil. Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South America and claimed it for Portugal. While details of Cabral's early life are sketchy, it...
, the navigator that discovered Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1500.
The following centuries represented periods of decadence for Santarém. The big earthquake of 1755 hit the city hard, and many historical monuments were lost. During the Napoleonic invasions
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
(early 19th century) the city was invaded and pillaged.
In the second half of the 19th century many improvements reached Santarém, like canalised water, gas light, the building of a bridge over the Tagus and the railway (1861). In the 20th century the infrastructure of the city (education, housing, commerce) continued to improve, and the economy of the city remained mainly dedicated to the production of agricultural goods.
Historical attractions
Santarém has a picturesque city centre with several monuments, including the largest and most varied ensemble of gothic churches in Portugal. These include fine examples of transitional RomanesqueRomanesque 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,...
–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....
, mendicant (plain style derived from the mendicant orders
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
) and late (flamboyant) Gothic. In addition, the city has nice examples of 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...
, Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, Mannerist and Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architecture.
- Old Castle of Santarém (Porta do Sol): Located on a high slope over the TagusTagusThe Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
river and the surrounding landscape, the site of the old castle of Santarém is now a nice garden that offers spectacular views. Part of the walls and towers of the castle are still preserved. - Church of Saint John of Alporão (Igreja de São João de Alporão): Built between the 12th and the 13th centuries by the Knights Hospitallers, this church is a fine example of transitional architecture, with a Romanesque main portal and an early Gothic main chapel and vaultingVault (architecture)A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
. The arches of the ambulatoryAmbulatoryThe ambulatory is the covered passage around a cloister. The term is sometimes applied to the procession way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar....
of the main chapel show Arab (MudéjarMudéjarMudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
) influences. The church now houses a small Archaeological Museum. Its most important piece is the flamboyant Gothic tomb of Duarte de Meneses, missed in a battle in North Africa in 1465. His magnificent tomb is empty. - Cabaças Tower (Torre das Cabaças): Ancient defensive tower of the mediaeval wall of the city. Houses the Time Museum with an exhibition about the measurement of time through the ages.
- Fountain of the Fig Tree (Fonte da Figueira): Rare example of a 14th century fountain in Portugal, decorated with merlonMerlonIn architecture, a merlon forms the solid part of an embattled parapet, sometimes pierced by embrasures. The space between two merlons is usually called a crenel, although those later designed and used for cannons were called embrasures.-Etymology:...
s and coats-of-arms of Portugal and King Dinis I. - Convent of Saint Claire (Convento de Santa Clara): 13th century feminine convent. Good example of Portuguese mendicant Gothic style.
- Convent of Saint Francis (Convento de São Francisco): Another 13th century convent in medicant style. Has a nice Gothic cloister. King Ferdinand IFerdinand I of PortugalFerdinand I , sometimes referred to as the Handsome or rarely as the Inconstant , was the ninth King of Portugal and the Algarve, the second son of Peter I and his wife, Constance of Castile...
was buried here. - Church of St. Stephen - Church of the Holy Miracle (Igreja do Santissimo Milagre) Home to the 13th century Eucharistic Miracle of Santarém, a popular destination among Catholics worldwide.
- Church of the Grace (Igreja da Graça): Built between the 14th and 15th centuries in a mix of mendicant and flamboyant Gothic styles. Has a magnificent main portal and rose window (unique in the world, carved out of a single stone) that shows the influence of the Monastery of Batalha. The first governor of CeutaCeutaCeuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
Pedro de Meneses (died 1437) and his wife are buried here in a magnificent Gothic tomb with their recumbent figures holding each other's hands. Pedro Alvares CabralPedro Álvares CabralPedro Álvares Cabral was a Portuguese noble, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the discoverer of Brazil. Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South America and claimed it for Portugal. While details of Cabral's early life are sketchy, it...
, discoverer of BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and his wife are buried under a simple slab near the main chapel. - Church of Marvila (Igreja de Marvila): This 16th century-church has nice portal and main chapel in ManuelineManuelineThe 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...
style. The 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...
and pulpitPulpitPulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
are in early RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
style. The interior walls are covered with 17th century-multicoloured tileTileA tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
s with geometric patterns. It has one of the most outstanding tile-based interior decorations in Portugal. - Cathedral of Santarém (Sé-Catedral): Built in the 17th century in mannerist style as the Jesuit church of the city, it became the SeminarySeminaryA seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
church after the Jesuits were expelled from Portugal in the mid-18th century.The interior decoration is very rich, with altarpieceAltarpieceAn altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s from various periods and styles (Mannerist and BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
) and a ceiling with an illusionist painting. Since the 1970s it is the Cathedral of Santarém. The site of the church and seminary was previously occupied by the mediaeval royal palace of Santarém.
Notable citizens
- Pedro Álvares CabralPedro Álvares CabralPedro Álvares Cabral was a Portuguese noble, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the discoverer of Brazil. Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South America and claimed it for Portugal. While details of Cabral's early life are sketchy, it...
(1467 or 1468 – c. 1520) was a noble, military commander, navigatorNavigatorA navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
and explorer regarded as the discoverer of BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and claimed it for Portugal. He was probably born in the house of his father and family in Belmonte in Beira Baixa ProvinceBeira Baixa ProvinceBeira Baixa was a Portuguese province. It was abolished with the Constitution of 1976.-Municipalities:The 13 municipalities in the province:*Belmonte - Castelo Branco District - Cova da Beira Subregion...
. His maternal side also had origin in Gouveia and Santarém, where his mother Dona Isabel Gouveia had received lands as a bequest from her brother João de Gouveia, the husband of Leonor Gonçalves, who owned vast estates in the capital of Ribatejo. It was in Santarém that he was married in 1503 to Dona Isabel de Castro, whose family (as his mother Dona Isabel de Gouveia) had owned property there for many years. A document dated 17 December 1509 reveals that Cabral had exchanged properties he owned in Pereiro, Santarém, for "a manor in Rossaio" or Rossairo, south of the Santa Clara Road in a valley that lay between Santarém and the lowlands, Ribeira de Santarém. He may have lived there from time to time as of that date, but he also owned a house in the center of the town, more specifically in Marvila parish, next to Graça Church. Cabral lived in Santarém until his death. He was buried within Santarém's Convento de Graça (today the Asylo de São Antonio) in a side-chapel of the convent's church after his wife purchased a chapel for the family tomb in 1529; - Estácio de SáEstácio de SáEstácio de Sá was a Portuguese soldier and officer who came to Brazil on orders of the Portuguese crown to wage war on the French colonists commanded by Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon , who had established themselves in 1555 at the Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, in the episode which became known...
(1520–1567) was a soldier and officer who came to BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
on orders of the Portuguese crown to wage warWarWar is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
on the FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
colonists commanded by Nicolas Durand de VillegaignonNicolas Durand de VillegaignonNicolas Durand, sieur de Villegaignon, also Villegagnon was a Commander of the Knights of Malta, and later a French naval officer who attempted to help the Huguenots in France escape persecution.A notable public figure in his time, Villegaignon was a mixture of soldier,...
(1510–1571), who had established themselves in 1555 at the Guanabara BayGuanabara BayGuanabara Bay is an oceanic bay located in southeastern Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lies the city of Rio de Janeiro, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo. Four other municipalities surround the bay's shores...
in Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. He was a nephew of Brazilian Governor General Mem de SáMem de SáMem de Sá was a Governor-General of Brazil from 1557-1572.He was born in Coimbra, Portugal, around 1500, the year of discovery of Brazil by a naval fleet commanded by Pedro Álvares Cabral....
(1500–1572). On March 1, Estácio de Sá founded the city of São Sebastião do Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
near the Sugarloaf MountainSugarloaf Mountain, BrazilSugarloaf Mountain , is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the mouth of Guanabara Bay on a peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean...
; - Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de FigueiredoBernardo de Sá Nogueira de FigueiredoBernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, 1st Baron, 1st Viscount and 1st Marquess de Sá da Bandeira was the Prime Minister of Portugal from November 5, 1836 - June 2, 1837...
, 1st Baron, 1st Viscount and 1st Marquess de Sá da Bandeira ( September 26 - January 6, 1876) was a liberal general officer and the Prime Minister of PortugalPortugalPortugal , 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...
from November 5, 1836 - June 2, 1837. He was also a freemason. - Mário Viegas (Antonio Pereira Lopes Mario Viegas, November 10, 1948 - Lisbon, April 1, 1996) was an notable actor, theater director and reciter of poetry.