Aveiro

Aveiro (pron. IPA [a'vɐiɾu]) is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 199.9 km² and a total population of 73,521 inhabitants, and 59,860 electors (2006).

The municipality is composed of 14 parishes, and is located in the District of Aveiro.

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.

1 Parishes
2 City Information
3 Gallery
4 Sister cities
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Parishes

Aradas
Cacia
Eirol
Eixo
Esgueira
Glória
Nariz
Nossa Senhora de Fátima
Oliveirinha
Requeixo
Santa Joana
São Bernardo
São Jacinto
Vera Cruz

[edit] City Information

The seat of the municipality is the city of Aveiro, with about 50,000 inhabitants in the 5 urban 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.

Aveiro is known in Portugal for its traditional sweets, the ovos-moles and the trouxas de ovos, both made from eggs. It 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.

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 14th 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.

The city is also famous for its production of salt and for its seaweed harvest, which is used for fertiliser in the area.

João Alfonso, one of the discoverers of the Newfoundland fisheries, was born there.

The city is also famous for the Convento de Jesus (now known as the City Museum), built in the 15th century, which contains the tomb of the daughter of Alfonso 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 hosted 3 games of the 2004 European Football Championship.

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.

[edit] Gallery

Aveiro streets by night

Cathedral of Aveiro

Aveiro and one of its canals

[edit] 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

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Municipalities of the District of Aveiro
Águeda \| Albergaria-a-Velha \| Anadia \| Arouca \| Aveiro \| Castelo de Paiva \| Espinho \| Estarreja \| Ílhavo \| Mealhada \| Murtosa Oliveira de Azeméis \| Oliveira do Bairro \| Ovar \| Santa Maria da Feira \| São João da Madeira \| Sever do Vouga \| Vagos \| Vale de Cambra