Fundão

Fundão (pron. fũ'dɐ̃ũ) is a city and municipality in Portugal, located in the district of Castelo Branco. Fundão is an old city with 8,369 inhabitants, situated at the point where the slope of the Gardunha range meets the Cova da Beira plains, 500 metres above sea level. The municipality has a total area of 700.1 square kilometres and 31,297 inhabitants. It is subdivided in 31 parishes. The film festival IMAGO – Young Film and Video Festival, is organised in the town.

History

During the Iron Age, from about 1000 B.C. until its destruction by the Romans there was a Celtic Lusitanian Castro or fortified village in nearby São Brás Mount. The remains of a villa or agricultural manor house, workers houses and other associated buildings from the time of the Roman Empire have been found in the underground of the centre of the current city. This villa was rebuilt as a fortified medieval mansion during the High Middle Ages.

The history of Fundão is intimately related to that of its originally Jewish, then New-Christian or Marrano population. Although the place already was mentioned in documents from 1307 referring 32 houses, the bulk of the population only settled after the expulsions of the Spanish Jews (sephardic), by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. Close to the border, and already home to significant Jewish minorities the Cova da Beira region received many refugees. These came to settle in the place of Fundão, which their numbers swelled to that of a city. The influx of Jewish artisans and merchants quickly transformed it into an important commercial and industrial centre. With the establishment of the Portuguese Inquisition shortly thereafter, many Jews and new-Christians were arrested, tortured, executed or had their possessions expropriated. The commercial dinamism of the city was affected. The place was proclaimed a city in 1580, by its notables after declaring support for the attempt by Dom António, Prior do Crato, to preserve Portuguese independence against the ambitions of the King of Spain Felipe II (Felipe I of Portugal). The Municipal Council and autonomy were granted in 1747.

Under the Enlightenment of the late 18th century the Prime-Minister of Portugal, the Marquis of Pombal abolished the legal restraints on the new-Christians and equiparated them to the old-christians. He tried to recreate the industrial preeminence of Fundão by founding the Royal Factories (today the City Hall). These efforts allowed a measure of revival to the wool industries of the city, and cloth was again exported to northern Europe. The city decayed again after its sack during the (defeated) Napoleonic French invasions of Portugal, and the following Civil War between supporters of Liberal Constitutionalist pretender D. Pedro II and his brother Conservative Absolutist D. Miguel for the throne.

Economy

The town is an important local centre of industry and services. Around it lies some of the most fertile land in the region, in a large valley (Cova da Beira), between the Gardunha and Estrela ranges, where the River Zêzere starts its way towards the Tagus. The most significant productions are cherries, peaches, olive oil, wine, wood pulp and vegetables. Some of the most important wolframite (most important mineral source of the metal tungsten) mines in the world are explored within its municipal limits. Other important mines extract lead and tin. High quality mineral water is bottled from several sources.

Parishes of the Municipality

• Alcaide
• Alcaria
• Alcongosta
• Aldeia de Joanes
• Aldeia Nova do Cabo
• Alpedrinha
• Atalaia do Campo
• Barroca
• Bogas de Baixo
• Bogas de Cima
• Capinha
• Castelejo
• Castelo Novo
• Donas
• Enxames
• Escarigo
• Fatela
• Fundão
• Janeiro de Cima
• Lavacolhos
• Mata da Rainha
• Orca
• Pêro Viseu
• Póvoa de Atalaia
• Salgueiro
• São Martinho
• Silvares
• Soalheira
• Souto da Casa
• Telhado
• Vale de Prazeres
• Valverde

References

External links

• Municipality official website