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Aveiro
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Aveiro is a city of some 73.559 people and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 199.9 km² and a total population of 73,559 inhabitants, and 59,860 electors (2006). It is the second most populous city in the Centro region of Portugal after Coimbra. However the city of Aveiro together with neighbouring Ílhavo, make one conurbation which has a population of 113,908 inhabitants that makes it one of the most important by population density in Centro region within a few km².
The municipality(municipio) is composed of 14 parishes(freguesias), and is located in the District of Aveiro (Aveiro distrito)and the chief city of Baixo Vouga.
The present Mayor is Élio Manuel Delgado da Maia, elected by a coalition between the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Social Centre
The municipal holiday is May 12.
All of the above parishes(freguesias,in portuguese)are considerad urban.
seat of the municipality is the city of Aveiro, with about 67,003 inhabitants in the 5 urban city(cidade) parishes.
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Encyclopedia
Aveiro is a city of some 73.559 people and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 199.9 km² and a total population of 73,559 inhabitants, and 59,860 electors (2006). It is the second most populous city in the Centro region of Portugal after Coimbra. However the city of Aveiro together with neighbouring Ílhavo, make one conurbation which has a population of 113,908 inhabitants that makes it one of the most important by population density in Centro region within a few km².
The municipality(municipio) is composed of 14 parishes(freguesias), and is located in the District of Aveiro (Aveiro distrito)and the chief city of Baixo Vouga.
The present Mayor is Élio Manuel Delgado da Maia, elected by a coalition between the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Social Centre
The municipal holiday is May 12.
Parishes
- Aradas
- Cacia (town pt.:vila)
- Eirol
- Eixo
- Esgueira
- Glória (in Aveiro city centre)
- Nariz
- Nossa Senhora de Fátima
- Oliveirinha
- Requeixo
- Santa Joana
- São Bernardo
- São Jacinto (located on a homonimous peninsula,between the Atlantic and Ria de Aveiro (Aveiro Laggoon)
- Vera Cruz (Aveiro city centre).
All of the above parishes(freguesias,in portuguese)are considerad urban.
City Information
The seat of the municipality is the city of Aveiro, with about 67,003 inhabitants in the 5 urban city(cidade) parishes. Located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, Aveiro is an industrial city with an important seaport. The city of Aveiro is also the capital of the District of Aveiro,and the largest city in the Baixo Vouga intermunicipal community subregion.
Transportation
Trains:
The city is serviced by regional trains and Alfa Rapidos/fast trains to Oporto(Porto,Lisbon,Coimbra,Braga)Norte line,and regional/suburbans(automotoras to Agueda Vouga line.
Boats:
Moliceiros in Ria for hire to tourists/fishing.
Cabs and rent a car: for hire.
Routes/Primary expressways:
A 1(Porto <> Lisbon; A 25<>Viseu <>Guarda <> Vilar Formoso.
Regional Airport:
Aerodromo de Aveiro/Sao Jacinto (PAV).
Port/Harbour(harbor):
Porto de Aveiro(Ilhavo/Aveiro).
Malls
Aveiro and environs have several shopping centers and many malls.
Tourism
Several attrations in city of Aveiro:cathedral,canals.
Peninsula de Sao Jacinto beaches.
Nearby:Ilhavo ceramica de Vista Alegre and beaches of Barra and Costa Nova do Prado,Gafanha da Nazare.
Gastronomy
Aveiro is known in Portugal for its traditional sweets, the ovos-moles and the trouxas de ovos, both made from eggs.
Aveiro nickname
Aveiro is sometimes called "The Portuguese Venice", because of its canals and boats that remind one of the Italian city of Venice, as the city faced similar problems when it tried to conquer the water.
History
The city dates back at least to the 10th century when it was known by its first Latin name of Aviarium, literally, "a gathering place or preserve of birds". The Moors invaded and then held it until the 11th century, after which it became popular with Portuguese royalty. In the winter of 1575 a terrible storm closed the entrance to its port, ending a thriving trade in metals and tiles. The same storm also created a reef barrier at the Atlantic Ocean.
Industry
The city is also famous for its production of salt and for its seaweed harvest, which is used for fertiliser in the area.
Famous people
The famous explorer João Afonso was also born in Aveiro. He was the first European to visit the region of Benin in Nigeria and named the river located there, Rio Fermoso. He helped to build a fort in Mina: he never came back to Portugal. He died in the region and is credited for bringing to Lisbon the first pepper that ever came out of those parts. He was also credited as one of the discoverers of the Newfoundland fisheries.
Zeca Afonso ,singer/composer
The city is also famous for the Convento de Jesus (now known as the City Museum "Santa Joana"), built in the 15th century, which contains the tomb of the daughter of Afonso V, St. Joana, who died in 1490. The presence of this royal personage, beatified in 1673, proved to be of great benefit when she bequeathed her valuable estate to the convent. In the 17th and 18th centuries the convent housed a school of embroidery, which produced many of the sumptuous pieces kept in the museum.
Aveiro University
The University of Aveiro was created in 1973 and is considered one of the most dynamic and innovative universities of Portugal, attracting thousands of students to the city.
The University has about 430 professors (with Ph.D. degree), 11,000 undergraduate students and 1,300 post-graduate students.
Sports
Beira-Marfootball(soccer)club.
News from local newspapers are available at http://www.recortes.pt .
Gallery
Sister cities
Aveiro's sister cities are:
- Viseu, Portugal
- Viana do Castelo, Portugal, since 1910
- Belém, Brazil, since 1970
- Pelotas, Brazil, since 1970
- Oita, Japan, since 1978
- Bourges, France, since 1989
- Inhambane, Mozambique, since 1989
- Arcachon, France, since 1989
- Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain, since 1989
- Forlì, Italy, since 1990
- Santa Cruz, Cape Verde, since 1993
- Pemba, Mozambique, since 1995
- Cubatão, Brazil, since 1997
- Venezia, Italy, since 1998
- Newark, New Jersey, USA
See also
External links
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