Silves, Portugal
Silves | |
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UTC±00:00 (WET) | |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+01:00 (WEST) |
Website | http://www.cm-silves.pt |
Silves (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsilvɨʃ] ⓘ) is a city and municipality in the Portuguese region of Algarve, in southern Portugal.[1] The population of the entire municipality of Silves in 2011 was 37,126,[2] in an area of 680.06 km2.[3] The urbanized area of the city proper has approximately 11,000 inhabitants. Silves is the former capital of the Kingdom of the Algarve (1249–1910), a nominal kingdom within the Kingdom of Portugal (1139-1910), and is of great historical importance.[4]
History
The region of Silves has been inhabited since the
After 713, when
In 1189, King Sancho I of Portugal conquered the town with the aid of Northern European crusaders.[6] Sancho ordered the fortification of the city and built a castle, which is today an important monument of Portuguese heritage. At the time he also styled himself "By the Grace of God, King of Portugal and Silves (Dei Gratiæ, Rex Portugalliæ et Silbis). However, he soon lost the town again to the Almohads after
The town was finally taken from the last Muslim king Ibn Afan by
In the 19th century, Silves became an important centre for the Portuguese
In the 21st century, the municipality became host to The
Sights
Parts of the Almohad town wall, constructed from poured concrete, have been preserved, as well as the Almedina-gate (Porta de
The town is situated on a hill above the
Silves Cathedral was built in 1189 where an old mosque used to stand. It combines Baroque and Gothic styles.[9] Inside there are tombs of local bishops and dignitaries, as well as tombs of some of the Crusaders who fought here against the Moors all those years ago.[10]
Igreja da Misericórdia de Silves is church across from the cathedral with specific door from the 16th century in the Manueline style. It is placed halfway up the building. Inside the church is huge altarpiece from the 17th century.[9]
The Roman Bridge, or Ponte Romana Bridge holds a significant place in history. It is believed to have been built back when the Romans were in charge. This sturdy stone bridge stretches right over the Rio Arade, standing as a strong reminder of Roman architecture.[9]
Opened in 1990, the Silves Municipal Archaeological Museum is located just below Silves Cathedral and Silves Castle. The museum is built over an 18 meter-deep, 4 meter wide well that dates from the Almohad establishment of the city in the 11th century. The site was formerly occupied by a 19th century residence before the building was demolished to form the museum.[11]
Cruz de Portugal is a significant religious monument encapsulating Silves’ Christian history. It is crafted from white limestone and adorned with intricate carvings, its exact origins are unknown, with estimates placing it from the late 14th to the late 15th century. It is widely believed to have been gifted to Silves by D. Manuel I in 1499. The cross, standing at 3 meters and showcasing Christ crucified and a Pietà, is a example of Gothic style. Over the years, the cross has moved around the city, settling in its current 19th-century location in 1957, surrounded by a garden.[9]
Geography
The municipality is crossed by the Arade River, which was navigable in historical times and was key to the prosperity of the city of Silves. The waters of the river form the reservoirs of Arade and Funcho. The landscape of the municipality is generally hilly. To the south the municipality borders the Atlantic Ocean.
Silves is built on top of one of the largest aquifers in the south of Portugal, The Querença-Silves Aquifer [1], and has many orange groves, a fruit introduced by the Moors.
Silves is about 15 kilometers north of the nearest stretch of Algarve coast, 20 kilometers northeast of
Climate
Silves has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with hot, very dry summers and mild, wet winters. The climate in the municipality of Silves is slightly more continentalized than the Algarvian coast, leading temperatures to be higher during the day and lower during the night in every season of the year. Temperatures in the winter vary between 17 °C (63 °F) during the day and 5–6 °C (41–43 °F) at night. Temperatures in the summer vary between 30–31 °C (86–88 °F) during the day and 15–17 °C (59–63 °F) at night.
Climate data for Tunes, Silves, 1980-1998, altitude: 56 m (184 ft) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 23.5 (74.3) |
27.0 (80.6) |
27.6 (81.7) |
30.5 (86.9) |
34.0 (93.2) |
37.6 (99.7) |
42.8 (109.0) |
39.2 (102.6) |
41.0 (105.8) |
33.0 (91.4) |
29.2 (84.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
42.8 (109.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 16.4 (61.5) |
17.2 (63.0) |
19.8 (67.6) |
20.6 (69.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
27.6 (81.7) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.0 (87.8) |
28.7 (83.7) |
24.1 (75.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
23.1 (73.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
11.5 (52.7) |
13.7 (56.7) |
14.8 (58.6) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.7 (74.7) |
23.7 (74.7) |
21.9 (71.4) |
18.0 (64.4) |
14.6 (58.3) |
12.2 (54.0) |
16.9 (62.5) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) |
5.9 (42.6) |
7.5 (45.5) |
8.9 (48.0) |
11.3 (52.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
16.4 (61.5) |
15.1 (59.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
6.7 (44.1) |
10.7 (51.2) |
Record low °C (°F) | −3.5 (25.7) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
6.0 (42.8) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
6.0 (42.8) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 65.9 (2.59) |
55.3 (2.18) |
31.4 (1.24) |
43.5 (1.71) |
31.1 (1.22) |
5.5 (0.22) |
1.8 (0.07) |
2.8 (0.11) |
21.0 (0.83) |
49.6 (1.95) |
109.3 (4.30) |
106.4 (4.19) |
523.6 (20.61) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 7.3 | 8.0 | 5.9 | 8.5 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 6.4 | 8.9 | 9.4 | 64.2 |
Source: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera[12] |
Human geography
|
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 6 civil parishes (
- Alcantarilha e Pêra
- Algoz e Tunes
- Armação de Pêra
- São Bartolomeu de Messines
- São Marcos da Serra
- Silves
Economy
The activities linked to the secondary sector play a very important role in the municipality's economy. The
Education
The city has kindergartens and elementary schools. Besides the local state-run secondary school, Deutsche Schule Algarve, a German international school, is also in the municipality of Silves,[14] as well as a branch of the Instituto Piaget, a higher education institution.
Notable people
- Muwalladpoet from Silves.
- Sufi rebel leader and governor of Silves for the Almohads
- João de Deus(c.1190–1267), canon law jurist and priest
- João de Deus de Nogueira Ramos (1830–1896), poet and editor, wrote the didactic book Cartilha Maternal in 1876
- Corina Freire (1897–?1975?), Portuguese singer, actress and impresario.[15]
- Bernardo Marques (1898-1962), painter, illustrator, graphic artist and caricaturist
- Maria Keil (1914–2012), artist and illustrator, known for her painting, drawing and tapestry
- José Vitoriano (1918-2006), politician and a major player in the 1974 overthrow of the Portuguese ruling regime
- Maria Cavaco Silva (born 1938), First Lady of Portugal from 2006 to 2016
- Amélia Veiga (born 1932), Portuguese-born Angolan poet and teacher
- Rui Bento (born 1972), football manager and former professional footballer with 321 club caps
- Aurea (born 1987), Portuguese soul singer originally from Santiago do Cacém, Alentejo, who grew up in Silves, Algarve
Gallery
-
Silves's medieval bridge
-
Misericórdia church
-
Francisco Vieira Street, close to the castle
-
View of Silves from the Museum of Archaeology
-
Silves seen from rua 25 de Abril
-
The new part of Silves seen from the Castle
-
Via Algarviana footpath near Silves
-
The historical Cathedral of Silves with Manueline portico]]
-
A street in Silves
References
- ISBN 3-8297-6235-6
- ^ Instituto Nacional de Estatística
- ^ "Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país". Archived from the original on 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ISBN 972-9362-16-5
- ^ "Monumentos".
- ^ Charles Wendell David, ed. Narratio de Itinere Navali Peregrinorum Hierosolymam Tendentium et Silviam Capientium, A.D. 1189. In Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 81 (Dec., 1939): 591-676.
- ^ Ransoming Captives in Crusader Spain: The Order of Merced on the Christian-Islamic Frontier
- ^ "18 de Janeiro de 1934 – Os dias em que Silves parou". Terra Ruiva: Jornal do Concelho de Silves. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Silves, Algarve: 34 Best Things to See and Do". 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
- ^ "Silves Cathedral". Portugal Travel Guide. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
- ^ "Silves Municipal Archaeological Museum". Portugal Visitor - Travel Guide To Portugal. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
- IPMA. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 115" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ^ "Die Schulstruktur Archived 2015-02-19 at the Wayback Machine." Deutsche Schule Algarve Retrieved on 19 February 2015. "DSA – Escola Alemã do Algarve Sitio do Lobito P-8300-054 Silves"
- ^ Corina Freire, IMDb Database retrieved 07 June 2021.