Santo Aleixo da Restauração
Encyclopedia
Santo Aleixo da Restauração, is a civil parish
of the municipality of Moura, in southern Portugal
, along the Portuguese-Spanish border.
and Neolithic
periods encountered within the territory of Moura presuppose a human occupation to a primordial period of settlement.
In 1252, the region was actually called Campo de Gamos, and occupied by farmers and resident serfs from the areas of Moura and Noudar.
It was only on 3 May 1957 that the parish began to be called Santo Aleixo da Restauração, a toponymy
derived from the fact it was considered a historical place during the patriotic Restoration Wars
between Portugal and Spain.
The 2001 census indicated a population of 842 inhabitants, one of the parishes with great mobility, owing to a small younger population.
In addition to its local town council , Santo Alexio is supported by several infrastructures that include: the Casa do Povo, a primary school (EB1/2 Santo Aleixo da Restauração), postal stations, pharmacy, medical centre, parochial and social centre, the Arlindo Caldeira culture centre and funeral home.
Annually, the parish celebrates several religious and secular festivals , including the Festa de Santo António (first Sunday of May), the Festa de Santo Aleixo (17 July) and the Festa da Tomina (last Sunday of August).
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...
of the municipality of Moura, in southern Portugal
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...
, along the Portuguese-Spanish border.
History
Much of the history of Santo Aleixo da Restauração has been lost over time, but its origins have been fixed to a period around 4000-3000 B.C., from the existence of prehistoric dolmens and menhirs scattered in the region. Further, remnants from the PaleolithicPaleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
and Neolithic
Neolithic
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...
periods encountered within the territory of Moura presuppose a human occupation to a primordial period of settlement.
In 1252, the region was actually called Campo de Gamos, and occupied by farmers and resident serfs from the areas of Moura and Noudar.
It was only on 3 May 1957 that the parish began to be called Santo Aleixo da Restauração, a 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...
derived from the fact it was considered a historical place during the patriotic Restoration Wars
Portuguese Restoration War
Portuguese Restoration War was the name given by nineteenth-century 'romantic' historians to the war between Portugal and Spain that began with the Portuguese revolution of 1640 and ended with the Treaty of Lisbon . The revolution of 1640 ended the sixty-year period of dual monarchy in Portugal...
between Portugal and Spain.
Geography
Santo Aleixo is located 27 kilometres from the municipal seat of Moura, on the Portuguese border with Spain.The 2001 census indicated a population of 842 inhabitants, one of the parishes with great mobility, owing to a small younger population.
In addition to its local town council , Santo Alexio is supported by several infrastructures that include: the Casa do Povo, a primary school (EB1/2 Santo Aleixo da Restauração), postal stations, pharmacy, medical centre, parochial and social centre, the Arlindo Caldeira culture centre and funeral home.
Economy
Agriculture (in particular olive cultivation) and pastoral herding, are the primary sources of income in this region, supported by an arts and crafts sector that retains many of the traditional activities of the parish (such as embroidery, knitting, cobblers and wood furniture).Architecture
With a long history, Santo Aleixo da Restauração conserves many of the monuments constructed over its existence, including the parochial churches, the Convent da Tomina (in ruins), obelisks, dolmens, fountains and chapels:Prehistoric
- Dolmens of Herdade da Negrita
Civic
- Barracks of the Fiscal Guard of Santo Aleixo
- Estate of Herdade da Negrita
- Post of the Fiscal Guard of Ferrenha
- Post of the Fiscal Guard of Vale de Melhão
Religious
- Church of Santo AleixoIgreja Paroquial de Santo Aleixo da RestauraçãoIgreja Paroquial de Santo Aleixo da Restauração is a church in Portugal. It is classified as a National Monument....
- Convent (Ruins) of Tomina
Culture
A primary focus of local culture is the musical group “Os Restauradores”.Annually, the parish celebrates several religious and secular festivals , including the Festa de Santo António (first Sunday of May), the Festa de Santo Aleixo (17 July) and the Festa da Tomina (last Sunday of August).