| Caldas da Rainha | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Municipality — | |||
|
|||
| Location of the municipality of Caldas da Rainha within Portugal | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Portugal | ||
| Region | Centro | ||
| Subregion | Oeste | ||
| District | Leiria | ||
| Historic province | Estremadura | ||
| Founded | 1484 | ||
| Elevated (town) | 1511 | ||
| Elevated (city) | 1927 | ||
| Founder | Queen Leonor | ||
| Civil Parishes | |||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Município/concelho (Municipality) | ||
| • Presidente da Câmara Municipal (Mayor) | Fernando José da Costa (Partido Social Democrata) | ||
| • Presidente da Assembleia Municipal | Luís Manuel Pereira Monteiro Ribeiro | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 255.7 km2 (98.7 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2011) | |||
| • Total | 51,645 | ||
| • Density | 201.0/km2 (520.6/sq mi) | ||
| • City proper | 27,429 | ||
| Demonym | Caldense | ||
| Time zone | Western European Time (UTC+0) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | Western European Summer Time (UTC+1) | ||
| Postal code | 2500 | ||
| Area code(s) | 262 | ||
| Municipal holiday | May 15 | ||
| Demonym | Caldense | ||
| Website | http://www.cm-caldas-rainha.pt/ | ||
Caldas da Rainha (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈkaɫdɐʒ ðɐ ʁɐˈiɲɐ]) is a city (cidade) in western central Portugal. The city serves as the seat of the larger municipality (município or concelho) of the same name and is the seat of the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste[1] (West Intermunicipal Community). The city is best known for its hot springs and pottery.
The city was founded in the 15th century by Queen Leonor, who established a hospital at the site of some therapeutic hot springs. The Hospital Termal Rainha D. Leonor is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the world, with five centuries of history. The city's name means "Queen's Hot Springs"[2] or "Queen's Spa".
Caldas da Rainha is home to many arts-related institutions. There are numerous museums in the city, mostly related to ceramics and sculpture. The city is home to a major arts and design school, as well as a school of ceramics. In 2008, the municipal government inaugurated a new cultural center.
As of the 2011 census, the municipality has a population of 51,645, and the city (the civil parishes of Nossa Senhora do Pópulo and Santo Onofre) has 27,429 residents.[3]
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Caldas da Rainha was founded by Queen Leonor, wife of King João II. One day in 1484, while traveling from Óbidos to Batalha, she found a group of peasants bathing in foul-smelling waters by the roadside. She stopped to inquire about this oddity and was told that the waters possessed curative powers. She decided to try them for herself. She was pleased to find that she was quickly relieved of some affliction she had been suffering (exactly what is not known). On that site, the queen ordered a thermal hospital built so that others may enjoy the relief that she felt. Construction began the following year, 1485. Although the first patients were admitted in 1488, construction was not completed until about 1496 or 1497. The name of the settlement that grew up around the site (Caldas da Rainha), refers to both its founder and the reason for its existence.
On March 21, 1511, King Manuel conferred the status of town (Portuguese: vila) upon Caldas da Rainha.[4] The town was elevated to the status of city (cidade) in September 1927.[4]
In the early 20th century, it had a significant artistic and intellectual life. During World War II, in which Portugal was a neutral country, hundreds of Jewish refugees came to Caldas da Rainha to escape Nazism.[5][6] During the war, Caldas also served as home to British and American airmen who landed or crashed in Portugal or off its coast.[7]
In a prelude to the Carnation Revolution, on the night of March 15–16, 1974, the Fifth Infantry Regiment, based in Caldas da Rainha in what is now the Escola de Sargentos do Exército, attempted to stage a coup d'état against the country's authoritarian Estado Novo.[8]
Caldas da Rainha's coat of arms was granted by Queen Leonor, before municipal coats of arms were typically used in Portugal. Because of its early introduction, several elements of the arms violate Portuguese heraldic standards. For example, Portuguese coat of arms typically feature a mural crown, made up of brick towers. Caldas da Rainha's arms feature a gold crown. The arms lack the typical banner bearing the municipality's name. The shield is much longer than the normal 8:7 ratio. The two smaller shields surrounding the main shield are also not in keeping with Portuguese heraldic rules.
Caldas da Rainha is located at 39° 24' N latitude and 9° 08' W longitude. The municipality comprises an area of 255.7 square kilometres (98.7 sq mi) (2004 statistics).[9] The city is located approximately 82 kilometres (51 mi) north of the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. Although the municipality borders the Atlantic Ocean, the city proper is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the ocean.
Caldas da Rainha is located in the NUTS III subregion named Oeste, which forms part of the NUTS II region known as Centro, which is part of the NUTS I subdivision called Portugal Continental (Continental/Mainland Portugal).
Caldas da Rainha is the seat of the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste (West Intermunicipal Community).[1] The Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste is legislatively coterminous with the Oeste NUTS III subregion. Before becoming an Intermunicipal Community, Oetse was a Comunidade Urbana (urban community), a designation abolished in August 2008.
Caldas da Rainha is in Estremadura, a historical province with no current legal status. The municipality is in the district of Leiria. Districts are being phased out, but still serve as a primary administrative division.
The municipality is bordered to the north by Alcobaça, to the east by Rio Maior and to the south by Bombarral, Cadaval and Óbidos.
The postal code for Caldas da Rainha is 2500. Its telephone area code is 262.
The municipality of Caldas da Rainha comprises sixteen civil parishes (Portuguese: freguesias). They are:[10][11]
| Freguesia | Population (2011 census)[3] |
Total Area | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A dos Francos—town (vila)[12][13] | 1,683 | 19.78 km2 | 7.64 sq mi |
| Alvorninha—town[14] | 2,977 | 37.62 km2 | 14.53 sq mi |
| Carvalhal Benfeito | 1,276 | 14.08 km2 | 5.44 sq mi |
| Coto | 1,343 | 5.50 km2 | 2.12 sq mi |
| Foz do Arelho—town[12][15] | 1,320 | 9.95 km2 | 3.84 sq mi |
| Landal | 1,051 | 9.94 km2 | 3.84 sq mi |
| Nadadouro | 1,889 | 9.22 km2 | 3.56 sq mi |
| Nossa Senhora do Pópulo (eastern half of the city proper) | 16,201 | 12.30 km2 | 4.75 sq mi |
| Salir de Matos | 2,576 | 24.29 km2 | 9.38 sq mi |
| Salir do Porto | 795 | 9.91 km2 | 3.83 sq mi |
| Santa Catarina—town[14] | 3,026 | 19.94 km2 | 7.70 sq mi |
| Santo Onofre (western half of the city proper) | 11,228 | 9.11 km2 | 3.52 sq mi |
| São Gregório | 888 | 14.42 km2 | 5.57 sq mi |
| Serra do Bouro | 704 | 17.98 km2 | 6.94 sq mi |
| Tornada | 3,527 | 19.82 km2 | 7.65 sq mi |
| Vidais | 1,161 | 22.21 km2 | 8.58 sq mi |
A resident of Caldas da Rainha is a Caldense (plural: Caldenses).
Between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, the population of the municipality of Caldas da Rainha increased 5.7% from 48,846 residents to 51,645. The city of Caldas da Rainha (comprising the civil parishes of Nossa Senhora do Pópulo and Santo Onofre) saw an increase of 8.7% from 25,228 residents to 27,429.[3]
The executive body of the municipal government is the Câmara Municipal (municipal chamber). Dr. Fernando José da Costa (PSD) is the president of the câmara, effectively the mayor of Caldas da Rainha. The other members are Maria da Coneição Feliciano Antunes Bretts Jardim Pereira (PSD), Fernando Manuel Tinta Ferreira (PSD), Dr. Hugo Patrício Martinho de Oliveira (PSD), Eng. Delfim Marques de Azevedo (PS), Dr. Rui José Antunes da Cunha Simões Correia (PS), Manuel Fialho Isaque (CDS/PP).[16]
The legislative body of municipal government is the 37-member Assembleia Municipal (municipal assembly). Luís Manuel Pereira Monteiro Ribeiro is president of the assembly. José Fernando d’Almeida Silva Pereira serves as the first secretary. Virgílio Leal dos Santos, who is president of the civil parish executive body (junta de freguesia) of Alvorninha, serves as the second secretary.[17]
The presidents of the each of the sixteen juntas de freguesia serve on the assembly:
The other members of the assembly are:[18]
As of December 31, 2004, there are 2,075 business firms in the municipality. 3.9% are in the primary sector (agriculture), 20.9% are in the secondary sector (manufacturing) and 75.3% are in the tertiary sector (services).[9]
There are 31 banking institutions, with deposits totaling €518,021,400.[9]
As of 2001, 49% of the population is employed, while 6.5% are unemployed.[9] (The remainder are too young, are retired or do not otherwise participate in the workforce.)
Caldas da Rainha has a vibrant downtown shopping area, with a variety of shops specializing in clothing, jewelry, beauty supplies, home decoration, housewares, and other goods. Among the main shopping areas are Rua do Heróis da Grande Guerra, Rua das Montras (officially, Rua Almirante Cândido dos Reis), Rua da Liberdade, and surrounding streets.
Several international chains have locations in Caldas da Rainha, including AKI,[19] Mango,[20] McDonald's, and Staples.[21]
There are numerous supermarkets and hypermarkets in Caldas da Rainha, including Aldi,[22] Casaleiro, E.Leclerc,[23] Intermarché,[24] Lidl,[25] Minipreço (2),[26] Modelo,[27] Pão de Açúcar,[28] Pingo Doce (three locations),[29] and Ponto Fresco.
Several small indoor shopping centers, most with only a handful of stores, exist throughout the city.
The Associação Comercial dos Concelhos das Caldas da Rainha e Óbidos (ACCCRO, founded in 1902 as the Associação Comercial e Industrial de Caldas da Rainha) aims to promote traditional commerce in Caldas da Rainha and neighboring Óbidos. The association aims to publicize smaller businesses located in the municipalitys' centers, which feel threatened by the increasing popularity of larger businesses, such as malls and hypermarkets usually found on the outskirts.
Vivaci Caldas da Rainha, an indoor shopping center operated by FDO Imobiliária, was inaugurated on November 25, 2008, and opened to the public the following day. The center is located adjacent to the site of the Hotel Lisbonense, which is being rebuilt. Vivaci's four floors contain sixty stores, including fourteen restaurants, a five-screen movie theater (Cinemas Vivacine in partnership with Zon Lusomundo), a supermarket (Pão de Açúcar), and ATMs (Millenium bcp).[30][31]
CaldasShopping, originally scheduled for conclusion in 2006, was opened in late December 2008. The complex, located at the intersection of Rua Dr. Miguel Bombarda and Rua Raul Proença, is operated by Erguigest. In addition to space for about forty shops and indoor and outdoor esplanades seating 200 to 250, the CaldasShopping edifice contains offices and thirteen apartments.[32][33][34]
Centro Bordalo, a shopping center to be developed by Sonae Sierra, was scheduled to open in 2010 with ninety-five stores and 1,100 parking spaces. Sonae Sierra planned to invest 56 million euros in the 24,000-square-metre (260,000 sq ft) center. The late-2000s financial crisis caused Sonae Sierra to postpone the project. The center will be located across from the existing Continente Modelo hypermarket and will be connected to it by a pedestrian bridge over the street.[35]
On May 15, 2008, the municipal holiday, President Aníbal Cavaco Silva and Mayor Fernando José da Costa inaugurated the Centro Cultural e de Congressos (CCC),[36] a cultural and conference center. The center hosts music, theatre, dance, and cinema, as well as various expositions and conferences.
The center's grand auditorium contains 660 seats and a 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft) stage. The smaller auditorium can seat up to 150. A multi-use space of 240 square metres (2,600 sq ft) can be subdivided into four rooms. A concert café seats 60. The rehearsal space is as large as the main stage.
Expoeste - Centro de Exposições do Oeste, is an indoor event space. The center hosts various events, including bridal expos, seasonal festivals, fruit expos, and car shows. One of the most popular events is the annual Expotur - Festa de Verão, popularly called "tasquinhas". At this event, which takes place over the span of about week and a half at the beginning of August, food from each of the freguesias is available for purchase and on-site consumption.[37]
Caldas da Rainha is well known for its glazed ceramic pottery (louça das Caldas). At the end of the 19th century, the ceramic industry set up place here, making the city Portugal's ceramic and pottery capital. Ancient references to pottery manufacturing can be found in the area, with soils rich in clay. A nearby village's name, Bombarral, can be translated as "good-clay pit", revealing that the pottery tradition has been settled here since ancient times. The typical Caldas pottery has evolved since its great boom in early 20th century, but the main types are still the same.
Caldas da Rainha's pottery falls into two main categories: utilitarian housewares, such as plates, bowls, platters, mugs, and tureens; and purely decorative items, such as caricature figurines and ceramic phalluses of various sizes. Even useful articles usually serve a decorative purpose as well. One popular model, created by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, is a cabbage-shaped soup tureen, which can be displayed on a shelf or as a centerpiece when not in use.
One of the most popular decorative figures is Zé Povinho, a bearded peasant everyman character created by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. A symbol of Portugal and the Portuguese people, Zé Povinho appears in many jocular, defiant poses.
The ceramics are available for purchase at stands in the daily market at Praça da República (Praça da Fruta) and shops in the vicinity. They are also available in stores outside Portugal, including a number of up-market housewares stores.
Cavacas das Caldas are a small-bowl-sized, shell-shaped confection of flour and eggs, with a crunchy sugar covering. In June 2005, a 26 meter pyramid of cavacas was erected on Praça 25 de Abril in front of the city hall.[38] Beijinhos das Caldas (English: "kisses") are similar, but are smaller and round.
Foz do Arelho has a beach on Atlantic Ocean, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the center of town. The Lagoa de Óbidos, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean, is a lagoon located on the border with Óbidos near Foz do Arelho. Salir do Porto has a beach on the Atlantic Ocean.
The Igreja Nossa Senhora do Pópulo is a gothic church near the thermal hospital. It was built around the year 1500 by order of Queen Leonor. The church has two associated chapels: Capela de São Sebastião and Capela do Espírito Santo. The Ermida da São Sebastião is a 16th century chapel, adjacent to Praça da República. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição is a 20th century church located on Praça 25 de Abril.
Several museums are located in Caldas da Rainha. The Centro de Artes (arts center) hosts three museums of sculpture: the Museu-Atelier António Duarte, the Museu-Atelier João Fragoso, and the Museu Barata Feyo. The Museu de Cerâmica exhibits ceramic works of art, as does the Casa-Museu de São Rafael. The Museu do Hospital e das Caldas features exhibits related to the thermal hospital and the city. The Museu José Malhoa is an art museum located in Parque D. Carlos I.
Parque D. Carlos I is a large park in the center of town. The José Malhoa Museum sits in the middle of the park. The park contains a doughnut-shaped pond with a small island in the center. Visitors can rent rowboats on the pond.
Praça da República (Republic Plaza) is a public square in the center of town. The plaza, also known as Praça da Fruta (Fruit Plaza), hosts Portugal's only daily farmers' market. The plaza is surrounded by buildings, most containing shops, banks, and cafés on the ground floor.
Praça 5 de Outubro (October 5 Plaza) formerly hosted the city's open-air fish market, which has since moved to an indoor location (Mercado do Peixe). The plaza is now used for outdoor café seating and free cultural events. A parking garage sits underground below the plaza.
A statue of Queen Queen Leonor stands in the middle of the roundabout at Largo Conde de Fontalva, typically called Largo da Rainha. The iconic monument serves as a landmark and marks the entrance to the historic city center when approaching from the south on N8/N115/N360 or from the west on the N360.
Caldas da Rainha has a train station served by the Linha do Oeste (western line) of Comboios de Portugal. Regional trains, which make frequent local stops, run south to Lisbon and north to Figueira da Foz. Most regional trips reach only the suburbs of Lisbon, where passengers can transfer to a commuter train to reach the capital. Interregional trains, which make select stops, run south to Lisbon and north to Figueira da Foz (a few times daily) or Coimbra (once daily). Other train stops in the municipality are Campo-Serra, Bouro, and Salir do Porto. [39]
As part of the deal to help Portugal overcome its debt burden, the government announced that it will discontinue passenger service on the Linha do Oeste north of Caldas da Rainha by the end of 2011.[40]
Caldas da Rainha has a bus station (terminal rodoviário) located in the city center.
Rede Nacional de Expressos provides express bus service to various destinations in the country.
Rodoviária do Tejo provides rapid ("express" by another name) and interurban services to destinations in its service area (cities and towns surrounding Caldas da Rainha, Leiria, Santarém, and Torres Novas), as well as to Lisbon.
Rocaldas-Empresa de transportes Auto-Penafiel, Lda. services outlying, suburban, and rural areas near the city. Their buses do not use the bus station.
On May 15, 2007, the municipal holiday, the municipal council inaugurated local bus service called TOMA. The name means "take this" in Portuguese and commemorates everyman figure Zé Povinho, whose image appears on the buses.
TOMA service consists of three routes: Linha Azul (Blue Line), Linha Laranja (Orange Line), and Linha Verde (Green Line). The Blue line uses two minibuses and runs between the western and eastern ends of town. The Orange and Green lines each operate using a single twenty-nine-seat minibus on loop routes.[41][42]
TOMA service runs from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 8:00 a.m to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with no service on Sundays. All routes operate at thirty-minute intervals.[43][44][45][46]
Since August 16, 2011, a trip on TOMA costs €1.10 without a pass (called TTT – Título de Transporte do TOMA) and €0.55 with a pass. Passengers receive volume discounts for purchasing multiple trips simultaneously. They can also purchase passes for unlimited rides for given number of days.[47] On January 9, 2008, the city council announced that persons in wheelchairs would ride free of charge.[48]
In May 2008, the municipality announced TOMA's third route, Linha Azul (Blue Line), which serves the northern areas of the city not included in the two first-phase routes. The new route operates using two buses, rather than the single bus used by each of the other two routes.[49] Introduction of the new line was delayed, because the company that won the bid to operate the line decided not to undertake the project after all.[50] The municipality inaugurated the new route on September 19, 2009, Public Transport Day.[51]
On westbound trips, the Blue line stops at:[42][43]
On eastbound trips, the Blue line stops at:[42][44]
The Linha Laranja (Orange Line) was inaugurated on May 15, 2007, as part of the first phase of TOMA service.[51] This loop route stops at:[42][45]
The Linha Verde (Green Line) was inaugurated on May 15, 2007, as part of the first phase of TOMA service.[51] This loop route stops at:[42][46]
Tornada is a significant population and employment center in the municipality, just north of the city on the N8 (aka EN8) roadway. Many residents complain of poor public transportation options. In reality, many buses operated by Rodoviário do Tejo or Rocaldas (aka Empresa de Transportes Auto Penafiel) pass through and stop in Tornada, though all are designed for further destinations. The municipal government in cooperation with the two bus operators, has undertaken "Projecto Tornada" to produce and disseminate a combined schedule of services, to coordinate and improve bus stops on N8, and to improve pedestrian access along N8. Conclusion of the project is set for the beginning of 2010.[51]
Caldas da Rainha is served by an extensive network of roads. Two motorways (auto-estradas), both operated by Auto-Estradas do Atlântico, serve the municipality. The A8 (also known as Auto-estrada do Oeste and as IC1) goes south to Lisbon, Loures, Torres Vedras, and Bombarral and north to Leiria, Marinha Grande, Alcobaça, and Nazaré. The A15 goes west to Santarém via Rio Maior. IP 6 is a main route (itinerário principal) connecting to Peniche, Santarém, Castelo Branco, and Spain.
Several national roads (estradas nacionais), which are older and not as well-maintained as motorways and main routes, serve the municipality. EN 8 (N8) crosses the municipality from north to south, connecting to Alcobaça and Leiria to the north and Óbidos, Bombarral, Torres Vedras, and Loures to the south. EN 8 runs through the center of the city, although the part of its route along Rua dos Heróis da Grande Guerra is now a pedestrian zone. EN 8 was the municipality's main roadway before the A8 motorway was built.
EN 114 (N114), in the center and southeast of the municipality, goes to Peniche, Rio Maior and Santarém. EN 114-1 (N114-1), in the center and east of the municipality, connects to EN 114. EN 115 (N115), along the south and southwest border of the municipality, runs to Cadaval. EN 360 (N360) crosses the municipality southwest to northeast, connecting to Alcobaça. EN 361 (N361), in the southwest of the municipality, connects to Cadaval and Rio Maior.
Caldas da Rainha is home to many educational institutions.
There are two institutions of higher education in Caldas da Rainha.[52]
Escola Superior de Artes e Design de Caldas da Rainha (ESAD.CR), founded in 1990, is a school of the Instituto Politécnico de Leiria (IPL). ESAD offers courses in plastic arts, industrial design, ceramic design, graphic design, multimedia design, theatre and sound & image.[53]
Escola Superior de Biotecnologia (ESB) da Universidade Católica Portuguesa offers courses in biotechnology. The Caldas da Rainha campus, founded in 1999, is an extension of ESB's Porto base.[54][55]
There are two secondary schools (escolas secundárias, years ten through twelve) in Caldas da Rainha.[56] Escola Secundária Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro is located in Nossa Senhora do Pópulo freguesia and Escola Secundária Raúl Proença is located in the neighborhood of Bairro do Arneiros in Santo Onofre freguesia.
Caldas da Rainha has three basic schools (escolas básicas) for the second and third cycles (segundo (2°) ciclo, years five and six; and terceiro (3°) ciclo, years seven through nine).[56] E.B. 2,3 D. João II is located in Nossa Senhora do Pópulo freguesia and offers the second and third cycles only. EBI 1,2,3 Santo Onofre is located in the neighborhood of Bairro das Morenas in Santo Onofre freguesia and offers the first, second, and third cycles. EBI de Santa Catarina, located in Santa Catarina freguesia, offers kindergarten, first, second, and third cycle classes.
Caldas da Rainha has 48 schools for the first cycle (primeiro (1°) ciclo, years one though four) located throughout the municipality. The schools, together with the kindergartens, are divided into five geographic groups for administrative purposes.[57] They are located at A-dos-Francos, Alvorninha, Antas, Avenal, Bairradas, Bairro da Ponte, Bairro dos Arneiros, Cabreiros, Campo, Carreiros, Carvalhal Benfeito, Casais da Serra, Casal da Areia, Casal da Marinha, Casal das Freiras, Chão da Parada, Coto, Cumeira, Encosta do Sol, Espinheira, Fanadia, Foz do Arelho, Guisado, Lagoa Parceira, Mata, Mestras, Moita, Nadadouro, Parque, Peso, Rabaceira, Ramalhosa, Reguengo da Parada, Relvas, Ribeira dos Amiais, Rostos, Salir de Matos, Salir do Porto, Santa Catarina (E.B.I. 0,1,2,3), Santa Susana, Santo Onofre (E.B.I. 1,2,3), São Clemente, São Gregório, Tornada, Trabalhias, Vidais, Vila Verde, and Zambujal.
Caldas da Rainha has 27 kindergartens (jardims de infância).[57] They are located at A-dos-Francos, Antas, Avenal, Bairro dos Arneiros, Carreiros, Carvalhal Benfeito, Casais da Serra, Casal Celão, Casal da Areia, Coto, Cruzes, Foz do Arelho, Lagoa Parceira, Moita, Morenas, Nadadouro, Rabaceira, Ramalhosa, Reguengo da Parada, Salir do Porto, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina (E.B.I.), Santa Susana, São Clemente, São Cristovão, São Gregório, and Tornada.
Colégio Rainha D. Leonor, in Santo Onofre, is a private school offering basic and secondary education.
Colégio Frei Cristóvão, in A-dos-Francos, is a private school, offering years five through nine.[58]
Caldas da Rainha has several institutions offering vocational education.[59]
The Escola Técnica Empresarial do Oeste (ETEO) is a school of business and technology.
The Centro de Formação Profissional Para a Indústria Cerâmica (CENCAL) offers training related to the ceramics industry.[60]
The Centro Formação Profissional Indústria Metalúrgica e Metalomecânica (CENFIM) offers courses in metallurgy.[61]
The Escola de Sargentos do Exército trains sergeants for the Portuguese Army.[62]
The Conservatório de Caldas da Rainha is a conservatory of music.
The Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Oeste-Caldas da Rainha offers training in hospitality and tourism.[63][64]
The Centro de Educação Especial Rainha Dona Leonor offers special education.
Caldas da Rainha is home to the Centro Hospitalar das Caldas da Rainha (Hospital Center of Caldas da Rainha), which consists of both medical and cultural institutions.[65] Among these are the Hospital Distrital Caldas da Rainha (Caldas da Rainha District Hospital), which is a major regional hospital serving several municipalities in the area. The hospital serves all emergency needs of all parts of Bombarral, Caldas da Rainha, and Óbidos. It also serves certain emergency needs for certain parts of Alcobaça, Nazaré, Peniche, and Rio Maior.[66] The Hospital Termal Rainha D. Leonor (Queen Leonor Thermal Hospital), a spa offering medically prescribed treatment in sulfurous waters, is also part of the Centro Hospitalar. Among the non-medical institutions of the Centro Hospitlar are the Museu do Hospital e das Caldas (Museum of the Hospital and Spa) and the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Pópulo, a church.
Caldas da Rainha is also served by a health center, Centro de Saúde Caldas da Rainha,[67] which offers primary and non-urgent care. Additionally, there is a Unidade de Saúde Familiar (Family Health Unit) in Tornada and ten Extensões de Saúde (Health Extensions) in Alvorninha, Carreiros (A-dos-Francos), Carvalhal Benfeito, Foz do Arelho, Rostos (Landal), São Gregório, Santa Catarina, Vidais, A-dos-Francos, and Salir de Matos.
Fire protection is provided by the Bombeiros Voluntários de Caldas da Rainha (BVCR, Volunteer Firefighters of Caldas da Rainha).[68]
Police protection in the urban areas of the municipality is provided by the Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP, Public Security Police).[69]
Rural areas of the municipality are patrolled by the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR, Republican National Guard). The GNR's base is located within the city proper.[70][71]
Caldas da Rainha is twinned with the following places:[72]
Caldas Sport Clube (CSC) was founded May 15, 1916. The club sponsors an association football (soccer) team which competes in the Portuguese Football Federation's 2nd Division — Series C. The team plays at Campo da Mata, a 13,000-seat field located in a forest adjacent to Parque D. Carlos I. CSC also sponsors several youth (junior) football teams for various age groups.
The western edge of the city is home to the Complexo Desportivo Municipal (municipal sports complex). The main feature is a rugby field surrounded by a running track. The field is home to Caldas Rugby Clube. The field can also be used for association football (soccer). The municipality recently added five tennis courts (two of which are covered) in an adjacent facility. Plans are underway to build facilities for badminton and beach soccer and rugby. The municipal pools are located nearby.
Caldas da Rainha has a bull ring (praça de touros), inaugurated on June 13, 1883. The octagonal arena originally seated 4,000 spectators, but now has capacity for 3,250. In a typical year, the ring hosts between three and five bullfights, with peak years seeing six such events. The arena also hosts concerts.[73]
The Portuguese Badminton Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Badminton) is headquartered in Caldas da Rainha.[74]
On October 4 and 5, 2008, Caldas da Rainha hosted the modern pentathlon World Cup final, an event sanctioned by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM).[75][76]
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