Vale de Figueira
Encyclopedia
Vale de Figueira is a village with almost 2,000 people, close to Santarém
, the capital city of its region, Ribatejo
, in Portugal
. It sits on a valley, parallel to the Bela Vista plateau, being famous for the mouth of the river Alviela, a tributary of Tagus
river, inserted on the diversity of colours which, all combined, create a pictoresque landscape.
It is a land of campinos
(the regional name given to the cattle herders), horses, bulls and nature that help making Vale de Figueira a unique place in the Ribatejo region. The village is rich in the production of vine and cereals.
Opinions differ, but most believe the origin of the name Vale de Figueira comes from the no-longer existing coating of fig trees that used to cover the area. Still, its foundation is believed to be from the Roman Empire times and the village was always considered one of the portuguese kings' favourite places to visit, stay and rest, being Ferdinand I of Portugal
and Manuel I of Portugal
two of the biggest fans.
Also, the village had a Franciscan
Friars' Monastery, named as "Convent of Our Lady of Jesus from St. Francis Order", from which there are only a few ruins left, including a window said to be the window from where the friars would give out food to the poor.
The beautiful meadowlands of Vale de Figueira, known as Lezíria, are bathed by both rivers Tagus
and Alviela and are famous for their beauty. Actually, since 2008, a project known as Rota dos Avieiros has been iniciated to help develop, touristically, villages like Vale de Figueira so, a series of paths have been created along the rivers and into the woods, making it possible to explore the best of this village's nature and wildness beauty. As for the village itself, touristic guide visits are being studied, as well as some water and extreme sports, among other leisure and cultural activities, but all depends on the funds provided by the government for the effect.
Also famous are the many farms (Quinta (rural)) in and about the village, each with precious content that goes from ancient chariots, used by the rich families of the farms, to chapels decorated with gold and other valuable and ornamental materials from previous centuries. Good examples are Quinta do Castilho, Quinta de Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Quinta da Boa Vista. Some of these farms are also very famous for their livestocks (ganadarias) of bulls, cows and horses. Another farm which is worth to be visited for its own woods and villa with swimming pool and garden is Quinta da Sobreira.
In the beginning of the 20th century, Vale de Figueira was very rich in the production of olive oil with six olive oil mills working altogether. This is why the olive tree leaves are represented in its coat flag, along with the fig tree leave and the campino
's hat, all above the blue and silver lines that symbolise the rivers Alviela and Tagus
.
Santarém, Portugal
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 capital city of its region, Ribatejo
Ribatejo
The Ribatejo is the most central of the traditional provinces of Portugal, with no coastline or border with Spain. The region is crossed by the Tagus River...
, in 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...
. It sits on a valley, parallel to the Bela Vista plateau, being famous for the mouth of the river Alviela, a tributary of Tagus
Tagus
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, inserted on the diversity of colours which, all combined, create a pictoresque landscape.
It is a land of campinos
Herder
A herder is a worker who lives a possibly semi-nomadic life, caring for various domestic animals, in places where these animals wander pasture lands....
(the regional name given to the cattle herders), horses, bulls and nature that help making Vale de Figueira a unique place in the Ribatejo region. The village is rich in the production of vine and cereals.
Opinions differ, but most believe the origin of the name Vale de Figueira comes from the no-longer existing coating of fig trees that used to cover the area. Still, its foundation is believed to be from the Roman Empire times and the village was always considered one of the portuguese kings' favourite places to visit, stay and rest, being Ferdinand I of Portugal
Ferdinand I of Portugal
Ferdinand 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...
and Manuel I of Portugal
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...
two of the biggest fans.
Also, the village had a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Friars' Monastery, named as "Convent of Our Lady of Jesus from St. Francis Order", from which there are only a few ruins left, including a window said to be the window from where the friars would give out food to the poor.
The beautiful meadowlands of Vale de Figueira, known as Lezíria, are bathed by both rivers Tagus
Tagus
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...
and Alviela and are famous for their beauty. Actually, since 2008, a project known as Rota dos Avieiros has been iniciated to help develop, touristically, villages like Vale de Figueira so, a series of paths have been created along the rivers and into the woods, making it possible to explore the best of this village's nature and wildness beauty. As for the village itself, touristic guide visits are being studied, as well as some water and extreme sports, among other leisure and cultural activities, but all depends on the funds provided by the government for the effect.
Also famous are the many farms (Quinta (rural)) in and about the village, each with precious content that goes from ancient chariots, used by the rich families of the farms, to chapels decorated with gold and other valuable and ornamental materials from previous centuries. Good examples are Quinta do Castilho, Quinta de Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Quinta da Boa Vista. Some of these farms are also very famous for their livestocks (ganadarias) of bulls, cows and horses. Another farm which is worth to be visited for its own woods and villa with swimming pool and garden is Quinta da Sobreira.
In the beginning of the 20th century, Vale de Figueira was very rich in the production of olive oil with six olive oil mills working altogether. This is why the olive tree leaves are represented in its coat flag, along with the fig tree leave and the campino
Herder
A herder is a worker who lives a possibly semi-nomadic life, caring for various domestic animals, in places where these animals wander pasture lands....
's hat, all above the blue and silver lines that symbolise the rivers Alviela and Tagus
Tagus
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...
.
Source
- http://www.cm-santarem.pt/santarem/Autarquia/JuntasFreguesia/Freguesia+de+Vale+de+Figueira.htm