Santo António dos Olivais
Encyclopedia
Santo António dos Olivais, commonly shortened to Olivais, is a urban civil parish
in the municipality of Coimbra
, making-up the historic city of Coimbra
. In 2001, its population was over 39,516 inhabitants, in an area east of University Hill in Coimbra, covering 19.13 km². Created in 1836, the parish was named for Anthony of Padua
, who joined the local branch of the Order of Friars Minor; Anthony took his name from Saint Anthony the Great, to whom the local Franciscan
hermitage
was dedicated.
The beginnings of the parish occurred in the 13th century (around 1210), when D. Sancha (daughter of King Sancho I
) founded the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Celas, in the locality of Vimarães, under administration of friars of the Order of Saint Bernard. The establishment of the monastery in Vimarães was basis for the founding of the parish of Celas.
A few years later (between 1217 and 1218), Queen Urraca (wife of Afonso II
) donated a small chapel on a hill of olive groves to the first Franciscan
monks arriving into Portugal, which they transformed into a humble hermitage
dedicated to Saint Anthony the Great.Around 1220, friar
Fernando de Bulhões after taking religious orders at the Augustinian
Monastery of Santa Cruz (Coimbra
) joined the humble Franciscans monks, adopting the name of the small chapel's patron. After his death (1231 in the Italian town of Padua
), he was canonized almost immediately, and the Franciscan convent that flourished in Olivais quickly changed its patron from Saint Anthony the Great to Anthony of Padua, becoming known as Santo António de Olivais and attracting new settlers into the region. By 1247, the Convent of São Francisco da Ponte attracted many friars, resulting in the late 15th century delimitation of the churchyard and convent in the 16th century.
Slowly the built-up area developed within the territory, with new agglomerations forming around the principal centres of Celas and Olivais; by 1740 the burg
of Celas had 48 buildings with about 200 inhabitants, while Olivais had just about the same.
On the night of 10-11 November 1851, a fire gutted the cloister, dormitory and other dependencies of the convent (now the churchyard and cemetery of the current structure). Renovations and remodelling of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (which was the church of Saint Germain) continued after May, becoming the parochial church of the newly defined parish of Santo António dos Olivais.
By 1854, with the expulsion of the religious orders and municipal reforms, the need to reorganize the municipality of Coimbra, resulted in the 25 November 1854 decree establishing the civil parish of Santo António dos Olivais (that included 749 buildings and 3000 inhabitants), in addition to six other parishes. Olviais included the largest of these early settlements, established from the remnants of São Pedro and clergy of Torres.
The largest civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra, the parish of Santo António dos Olivais is surrounded on all sides by neighbours from this political division: north by São Paulo dos Frades; east by Torres do Mondego; south, along the Mondego River, by the parishes of Ceira, Castelo Viegas and south/southwest by Santa Clara; and west by central places of Santa Cruz
, Sé Nova and Almedina. The region is a semi-circular bowl, that extends from the riverbanks of the Mondego (in the south) to the foothills of Rocha Nova (in the north), skirting the populated city of Coimbra in the west and the eastern Mondego River valley near Misarela. The central part of the parish, intrinsic to the main city of Coimbra, is concentrated between the main road accessways: Avenida Mendes Silva (along the south) and Avenida Fernando Namora-Avenida Augusto Seabra that circles the outside perimeter of Coimbra (to the east).
It includes several individual places that formed during the historical settlement of the region, including: Olivais, Celas, Solum, Calhabé, Norton de Matos, Arregaça, Vale das Flores, Quinta da Nora, Quinta da Boavista, Casa Branca, Chão do Bispo, Picoto, Vale de Canas, Casal do Lobo, Cova do Ouro, Alto de S. João, Pinhal de Marrocos, Portela and Tovim.
business incubator), as well as the Coimbra's Oncology Hospital
, the polytechnical
Coimbra Engineering Institute
, the Coimbra Nursing School
, the Coimbra Hotel and Tourism School, the municipal city stadium and swimming pools
, the Coimbra Multisports Arena
, hotels, hostels and the city's camping park.
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...
in the municipality of 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...
, making-up the historic city of 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...
. In 2001, its population was over 39,516 inhabitants, in an area east of University Hill in Coimbra, covering 19.13 km². Created in 1836, the parish was named for Anthony of Padua
Anthony of Padua
Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon, O.F.M., was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. Though he died in Padua, Italy, he was born to a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, which is where he was raised...
, who joined the local branch of the Order of Friars Minor; Anthony took his name from Saint Anthony the Great, to whom the local 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....
hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
was dedicated.
History
Even by 1064, before the creation of the Kingdom of Portugal (1143), the region of Olivais was pasturelands interspersed by parcels where the local settlers cultivated vineyards and olive orchards, in addition to vegetable gardens and fruit trees, while the remaining lands were still forested (such Malheiros, Tovins, Picoto, Dianteiro and Rocha Nova).The beginnings of the parish occurred in the 13th century (around 1210), when D. Sancha (daughter of King Sancho I
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...
) founded the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Celas, in the locality of Vimarães, under administration of friars of the Order of Saint Bernard. The establishment of the monastery in Vimarães was basis for the founding of the parish of Celas.
A few years later (between 1217 and 1218), Queen Urraca (wife of 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...
) donated a small chapel on a hill of olive groves to the first 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....
monks arriving into Portugal, which they transformed into a humble hermitage
Hermitage
Hermitage may refer to:*Hermitage , hermit's dwelling place, a place of relaxing retreat*4758 Hermitage, asteroid-Grapes:* Syrah in Australia* Cinsaut or Cinsault in South Africa and parts of Europe* Marsanne...
dedicated to Saint Anthony the Great.Around 1220, friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
Fernando de Bulhões after taking religious orders at the Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
Monastery of Santa Cruz (Coimbra
Santa Cruz (Coimbra)
Santa Cruz is an urban-rural Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra. In 2001, its population was 6866 inhabitants, in an area of 5.56 km² that parallels the north margin of the Mondego River, extending to the village of Adémia in Trouxemil .-History:After the Christian conquest...
) joined the humble Franciscans monks, adopting the name of the small chapel's patron. After his death (1231 in the Italian town of Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
), he was canonized almost immediately, and the Franciscan convent that flourished in Olivais quickly changed its patron from Saint Anthony the Great to Anthony of Padua, becoming known as Santo António de Olivais and attracting new settlers into the region. By 1247, the Convent of São Francisco da Ponte attracted many friars, resulting in the late 15th century delimitation of the churchyard and convent in the 16th century.
Slowly the built-up area developed within the territory, with new agglomerations forming around the principal centres of Celas and Olivais; by 1740 the burg
Burg
Burg is the word for castle in various Germanic languages.Burg or Bürg or Buerg may refer to:*Burg bei Magdeburg, a city in Germany*Den Burg, a town in the Netherlands* Burg, former name of Melber, Kentucky...
of Celas had 48 buildings with about 200 inhabitants, while Olivais had just about the same.
On the night of 10-11 November 1851, a fire gutted the cloister, dormitory and other dependencies of the convent (now the churchyard and cemetery of the current structure). Renovations and remodelling of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (which was the church of Saint Germain) continued after May, becoming the parochial church of the newly defined parish of Santo António dos Olivais.
By 1854, with the expulsion of the religious orders and municipal reforms, the need to reorganize the municipality of Coimbra, resulted in the 25 November 1854 decree establishing the civil parish of Santo António dos Olivais (that included 749 buildings and 3000 inhabitants), in addition to six other parishes. Olviais included the largest of these early settlements, established from the remnants of São Pedro and clergy of Torres.
Geograhy
The largest civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra, the parish of Santo António dos Olivais is surrounded on all sides by neighbours from this political division: north by São Paulo dos Frades; east by Torres do Mondego; south, along the Mondego River, by the parishes of Ceira, Castelo Viegas and south/southwest by Santa Clara; and west by central places of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz (Coimbra)
Santa Cruz is an urban-rural Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra. In 2001, its population was 6866 inhabitants, in an area of 5.56 km² that parallels the north margin of the Mondego River, extending to the village of Adémia in Trouxemil .-History:After the Christian conquest...
, Sé Nova and Almedina. The region is a semi-circular bowl, that extends from the riverbanks of the Mondego (in the south) to the foothills of Rocha Nova (in the north), skirting the populated city of Coimbra in the west and the eastern Mondego River valley near Misarela. The central part of the parish, intrinsic to the main city of Coimbra, is concentrated between the main road accessways: Avenida Mendes Silva (along the south) and Avenida Fernando Namora-Avenida Augusto Seabra that circles the outside perimeter of Coimbra (to the east).
It includes several individual places that formed during the historical settlement of the region, including: Olivais, Celas, Solum, Calhabé, Norton de Matos, Arregaça, Vale das Flores, Quinta da Nora, Quinta da Boavista, Casa Branca, Chão do Bispo, Picoto, Vale de Canas, Casal do Lobo, Cova do Ouro, Alto de S. João, Pinhal de Marrocos, Portela and Tovim.
Economy
Santo António dos Olivais houses several major facilities of Coimbra, including many University of Coimbra's sites (the Pólo II Campus of the University of Coimbra - engineering; the Pólo III Campus of the University of Coimbra - medicine and pharmacy; the University of Coimbra Faculty of Economics - economics, business and sociology; the Coimbra University Hospitals; the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of Coimbra research centre; and the Instituto Pedro NunesInstituto Pedro Nunes
Instituto Pedro Nunes is a non-profit private organization for innovation and technology transfer based in Coimbra, Portugal. It is named after the Portuguese 16th century mathematician and professor Pedro Nunes, who lived in the city of Coimbra and worked for the local university.-IPN profile:The...
business incubator), as well as the Coimbra's Oncology Hospital
Instituto Português de Oncologia
The Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil, also known as Instituto Português de Oncologia and ' , is a state-run cancer hospital and research organization from Portugal. The I.P.O. has autonomous regional branches in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra.-External links:***...
, the polytechnical
Polytechnic (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...
Coimbra Engineering Institute
Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra
The Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra ' is an higher education polytechnic institution of engineering, based in Coimbra, Portugal...
, the Coimbra Nursing School
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra
The Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra is a public nursing school in Coimbra, Portugal.-History:It was created after the 2004 decree law Decreto-Lei nº 175/2004 de 21 de Julho through the merging of the two previous nursing schools of Coimbra: the Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Bissaya...
, the Coimbra Hotel and Tourism School, the municipal city stadium and swimming pools
Estádio Cidade de Coimbra
The Estádio Finibanco Cidade de Coimbra is a stadium in Coimbra, Portugal. This stadium belongs to the Municipality of Coimbra and is mainly used by the Académica de Coimbra's football team...
, the Coimbra Multisports Arena
Pavilhão Multiusos de Coimbra
Pavilhão Multiusos de Coimbra is a multipurpose sports arena in Coimbra, Portugal adjacent to the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra stadium and the municipal swimming pools . Built in 2003, it is venue for Académica de Coimbra/Dolcevita basketball team, among other teams and events. Its owner is Coimbra's...
, hotels, hostels and the city's camping park.