Covilhã | |
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
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| Coordinates:40°17′N7°30′W / 40.283°N 7.500°W /40.283; -7.500 | |
| Country |  Portugal |
| Region | Centro |
| Intermunic. comm. | Beiras e Serra da Estrela |
| District | Castelo Branco |
| Parishes | 21 |
| Government | |
| • President | Vítor Manuel Pinheiro Pereira (PS) |
| Area | |
• Total | 555.60 km2 (214.52 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 51,797 |
| • Density | 93/km2 (240/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+00:00 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+01:00 (WEST) |
| Local holiday | October 20 |
| Website | www |
Covilhã (European Portuguese pronunciation:[kuviˈʎɐ̃]ⓘ) is a city and amunicipality in theCentro region,Portugal. The city proper had 33,691 inhabitants in 2021.[1] The municipality population in 2021 was 46,455[2] in an area of 555.60 square kilometres (214.52 sq mi).[3] It is located in theBeiras e Serra da Estrela subregion and Beiras and Serra da Estrela Intermunicipal Community. The municipal holiday isOctober 20. Sometimes referred to astown of wool and snow, Covilhã is one of the main urban centres of the historicalBeira Interior region. The proximity of the mountains offers dramatic scenery and a great environment for those fond ofhiking,camping,mountain climbing andskiing. With an industrial tradition historically focused ontextile industry supplied by an abundance ofwool produced in the area since antiquity, but with a more diversified industry in contemporaneity, Covilhã, which was once known as the "Portuguese Manchester", is also auniversity city nowadays awarding degrees fromaeronautical engineering tomedicine tophilosophy.
Covilhã's history dates back to the days when it was a pre-historical settlement, a shelter forLusitanian shepherds, and aRoman fortress known asCava Juliana orSilia Hermínia. The region of Beira Interior, where the city of Covilhã is located, is rich in historical places. Due to its strategic potential, its mountains were used to build castles for both attack and defence purposes. Covilhã was grantedforal in 1186 by kingSancho I of Portugal, who also built the castle walls. And, later, it was kingDenis of Portugal who ordered the construction of the walls of the admirable medieval district of Portas do Sol. The old quarters of the city have narrow cobblestone streets; pedestrians are challenged permanently by the ups and downs of most of the streets in the city.
It was already in theMiddle Ages one of the main "villages of the kingdom", a situation later confirmed by the fact that great natives from the city or its surroundings became decisive in all the greatPortuguese Discoveries of the 15th and 16th centuries: the advance in the Atlantic Ocean, the sea route to India, the discoveries of America and Brazil, the first circumnavigation of the Earth. In full population expansion when theRenaissance appeared, the economic sector was particularly important in agriculture, pastoralism, fruit-growing, and forestry. Trade and industry were booming.Gil Vicente cites "the many fine cloths". TheInfante D. Henrique, knowing this reality well, became "lord" of Covilhã. The Portuguese Discoveries required large sums of money. The people of the town and its council collaborated not only through taxes, but also with their capital and talent.
The expansion overseas started with theconquest of Ceuta in 1415. Covilhã personalities such as FreiDiogo Alves da Cunha, who is buried in the Church of Conceição, participated in the event. The presence of ‘’covilhanenses’’ in the whole process extends withPêro da Covilhã (first Portuguese to set foot on land inMozambique and who sent news toD. João II on how to reach the places where the spices were produced, preparing the Maritime Way to India),João Ramalho,Fernão Penteado and others.
Among the missionaries we findFrancisco Álvares, killed on the way to Brazil;Pêro da Covilhã, chaplain inVasco da Gama’s expedition to India, the first martyr of India; FatherFrancisco Cabral, missionary in Japan; FatherGaspar Pais, who leftGoa forAbyssinia; and many others who took, along with their faith, the name of Covilhã and Fundão in Cova da Beira valley to all parts of the world. The brothersRui Faleiro andFrancisco Faleiro, cosmographers, became notable for their knowledge of nautical science. During renaissance is FriarHeitor Pinto, one of the first Portuguese to publicly defend the Portuguese identity. His literary work is expressed in the classic "Image of Christian Life".
The importance of Covilhã, in this period, is explained not only by the "notable" title granted to it by kingD. Sebastião but also by the works carried out here and in the region by the Castilian kings during the time of theIberian Union. The Town Hall Square was indeed until the end of the 20th century, ofSpanish Philippine style. In the surrounding streets one can find several traces of this style. In the municipality as well. Examples ofManueline style can also be found in the city. This is the case of a Manueline window in the Jewish quarter in Rua das Flores. The architectMateus Fernandes, from Covilhã, who designed the entrance door to the Imperfect Chapels in theMonastery of Batalha is also other notable personality from Covilhã.
The two streams that come down from the Serra da Estrela, Carpinteira and Degoldra, cross the urban center and were at the origin of the industrial development. They provided the hydraulic energy that allowed the factories to work. Next to these two streams, today an interesting industrial archaeological site can be seen, composed of dozens of ruined buildings. A school-factory was built byFernando de Meneses, 2nd Count of Ericeira in 1681. On November 1, 1755, Covilhã was shaken by the forces of the1755 Lisbon earthquake that destroyed part of Covilhã's castle walls and its large towers.
A Royal Textile Factory was established in the city by theMarquis of Pombal in 1763, and Covilhã was granted city status on 20 October 1870 by kingLuís I. Along the two streams that cross the city there are still remains of the old textile factories, which bear witness to the unquestionable importance of this industry for Covilhã's economy, once known as the "Portuguese Manchester". ThePanasqueira mines in the municipality of Covilhã started production in 1898 and at the time of World War II, about 10,000 people worked in there.
During the first half of the 19th century, the municipality of Covilhã had about 22,000 inhabitants, and in 1930 it nearly reached 50,000 inhabitants. During the 1960s, Covilhã's municipality surpassed 70,000 inhabitants, but thePortuguese Colonial War (1961–1974) and the generalizedemigration phenomena of the 1960s to 1980s Portuguese society, its geographical location in the mountainous interior of central Portugal, increasingmechanization, and the stagnation of its textile industrial sector caused a period of decline of its population to nearly 50,000 in the 1990s. A state-run university,UBI - Universidade da Beira Interior, was founded in 1979. The city is still expanding, mainly to the flat part of the valley, called Cova da Beira, where some important infrastructure, such as thecentral hospital and the highway, are located.
Covilhã is located in theCentro region,Cova da Beira subregion, in central Portugal; 300 km (186 mi) Northeast ofLisbon, Portugal's capital; 100 km (62 mi) East ofCoimbra, the regionaladministrative centre; and at the bottom of the highest Portuguese mountain range,Serra da Estrela.
The city ofCastelo Branco is located 50 km (31 mi) to the south of Covilhã and the neighboring city ofFundão, the largest locality in the vicinities of Covilhã, is 20 km (12.4 mi) also to the south.
The city of Covilhã towers between 450 and 800 metres (1,476 and 2,624 feet) above the sea level, thus the mountain landscape is ever present. The larger municipality has 555.6 km2 (214.5 sq mi) of territory and includes several localities distributed across 31 civil parishes.
In the municipality of Covilhã but outside the urban area,Penhas da Saúde is one of its highest points. At 1,500 metres (4,821 ft) high, this village and winter resort is located within theSerra da Estrela Natural Park.
Covilhã has aMediterranean climate (Csa, according to theKöppen climate classification), moderately cold in the winter, and relatively warm in the summer. TheSerra da Estrela Ski Resort, the only one in Portugal, lies about 20 km (12.4 mi) away from the city, already in the neighbouring municipality ofSeia.
The cold increases according to altitude, varying from higher temperatures in the lower parts of the municipality, to colder temperatures with frequent and sometimes abundant snowfalls during the cold months in the higher areas, such asPenhas da Saúde, above 1,500 meters of altitude, 9 km away from the highest point of mainland Portugal, theTorre Plateau. In the urban area of Covilhã snowfalls with accumulation are rare.
The hottest month is August, with an average temperature of 22.2 °C (72.0 °F), while the coldest month is January, with an average of 6.2 °C (43.2 °F). The average annual temperature of Covilhã is 13.6 °C (56.5 °F) and the average annual rainfall is around 1,500 millimetres (59 in).
| Climate data for Covilhã, Portugal, precipitation 1985-2021, altitude: 719 m (2,359 ft) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.4 (48.9) | 11.2 (52.2) | 13.5 (56.3) | 16.4 (61.5) | 19.2 (66.6) | 24.7 (76.5) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.4 (83.1) | 24.4 (75.9) | 18.9 (66.0) | 13.1 (55.6) | 9.8 (49.6) | 18.1 (64.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.2 (43.2) | 7.4 (45.3) | 9.5 (49.1) | 11.8 (53.2) | 14.3 (57.7) | 19.1 (66.4) | 21.9 (71.4) | 22.2 (72.0) | 19.1 (66.4) | 14.7 (58.5) | 9.7 (49.5) | 6.7 (44.1) | 13.6 (56.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.1 (37.6) | 3.6 (38.5) | 5.6 (42.1) | 7.2 (45.0) | 9.5 (49.1) | 13.5 (56.3) | 15.7 (60.3) | 16.0 (60.8) | 13.9 (57.0) | 10.5 (50.9) | 6.3 (43.3) | 3.6 (38.5) | 9.0 (48.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 209.7 (8.26) | 156.4 (6.16) | 116.3 (4.58) | 123.8 (4.87) | 84.5 (3.33) | 32.7 (1.29) | 8.3 (0.33) | 17.8 (0.70) | 59.3 (2.33) | 198.6 (7.82) | 217.3 (8.56) | 238.5 (9.39) | 1,463.2 (57.62) |
| Source 1: Climate-data.org[4] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Portuguese Environment Agency (precipitation)[5] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Penhas da Saúde, Portugal altitude: 1,606 m (5,269 ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) | 5.0 (41.0) | 6.4 (43.5) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.5 (52.7) | 17.2 (63.0) | 20.8 (69.4) | 21.1 (70.0) | 17.3 (63.1) | 12.1 (53.8) | 7.1 (44.8) | 4.8 (40.6) | 11.4 (52.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.6 (34.9) | 2.0 (35.6) | 3.2 (37.8) | 5.2 (41.4) | 7.8 (46.0) | 12.9 (55.2) | 16.1 (61.0) | 16.5 (61.7) | 13.3 (55.9) | 8.9 (48.0) | 4.3 (39.7) | 2.1 (35.8) | 7.8 (46.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.1 (30.0) | −1.0 (30.2) | 0.1 (32.2) | 1.7 (35.1) | 4.1 (39.4) | 8.7 (47.7) | 11.4 (52.5) | 11.9 (53.4) | 9.4 (48.9) | 5.8 (42.4) | 1.5 (34.7) | −0.6 (30.9) | 4.3 (39.8) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 261 (10.3) | 237 (9.3) | 182 (7.2) | 131 (5.2) | 116 (4.6) | 83 (3.3) | 22 (0.9) | 18 (0.7) | 67 (2.6) | 161 (6.3) | 234 (9.2) | 198 (7.8) | 1,710 (67.4) |
| Source: Climate-data.org[6] | |||||||||||||
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 21 civil parishes (freguesias):[7]
The municipality of Covilhã has severalkindergartens for pre-school children between 3 and 6 years of age, and 3primary education schools. It has also a number of 2nd and 3rd cycle basic andsecondary schools:Escola Secundária Frei Heitor Pinto,Escola Básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Tortosendo,Escola Básica Integrada de Sao Domingos,Escola Básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Paúl,Escola Básica do 2º ciclo de Pêro da Covilhã,Escola Secundária Campos Melo,Escola Secundária Quinta das Palmeiras,Escola Básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Teixoso,Externato de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios andEscola Internacional da Covilhã. Covilhã has apublic university - theUniversity of Beira Interior (UBI), which was founded in 1979 and awards all universityacademic degrees (licentiate "licenciatura",master's anddoctorate degrees) in several fields likemedicine,mathematics,sports sciences,aeronautical engineering,industrial design,fashion design,cinema,psychology, and many others.
Major economic activities in the region includetextiles,food production,agriculture,tourism andmining. ThePanasqueira mines in the municipality of Covilhã, located over 30 kilometers to southwest of the city, is a large tin-tungsten mine made up of multiple concessions that started production in 1898. The industrial mining center commonly known as Panasqueira Mines extends over a vast area covered by the Panasqueira and Vale da Ermida Mining Fields with a total area around 20.5 km2. There is an estimated 12,000 km of tunnels, some still working and others already abandoned. At the time of World War II, about 10,000 people worked in the mine; by 2017, approximately 370. The mine had a planned production for more than 30 years as of 2017. TheUniversity of Beira Interior, established in 1979, has great importance in the city today. TheCentro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira at Covilhã, a state-run university hospital, plays a major role in the region. Covilhã is traditionally a center of wool and textile industries - the university's central building was the Royal Textile Factory, established by theMarquis of Pombal in the 18th century. Covilhã has deep industrial roots and is still one of the biggest woolen fabric producers in Europe.
The textile industry produces about 40,000 km of fabric per year, mainly through companies like Paulo de Oliveira,[8] Penteadora,[9] Tessimax[10] and A. Saraiva, which supply large worldwidetextile andfashion brands such asHugo Boss,Armani,Zegna,Marks & Spencer,Yves St. Laurent,Calvin Klein andChristian Dior.
Tourism is also important, and the city serves as a winter and mountain resort.Fruit production is important in the region of Cova da Beira, a subregion centered in Covilhã's municipality.Frulact, a Portuguese fruit processing company, has major industrial facilities in the municipality of Covilhã.
The city has a science park,Parkurbis, which has attracted several new businesses to the area. There is a large shopping centre in Covilhã,Serra Shopping,[11] and besides a wide variety of shops, it hashypermarket, four cinemas and many restaurants. Hypermarkets and supermarkets located in the lower part of the town includeContinente (insideSerra Shopping),Intermarché,Pingo Doce, andLidl. The Public Market (Mercado Municipal) is another option and an opportunity to buy fresh produce directly from the producers. Covilhã hosts one of the biggest data centres in Europe, with the capacity to store 30 petabytes of information at onset. The building, which belongs toAltice, opened in September 2013 and has a floor area the size of 13 football pitches.
The City Hall of Covilhã is responsible for the cultural programming of one of the movie theatres of the town which has a wide variety of activities throughout the year. This theatre, called Teatro Municipal da Covilhã, was closed from 2001 until 2021 when it was reopened in November.[12] There are also various theatre companies: Teatrubi, ASTA, Teatro das Beiras and Quarta Parede that stage theatre and multimedia productions throughout the year. A theatre festival is organised by a local theatre company, Teatro das Beiras, in November.
The city hosts several choirs and orchestras, like the well-known university choir and the EPABI orchestra, which is based in the building near the public garden (location has now changed to the lower parts of the city), as well as theOrquestra da Banda Filarmónica. At the university, there are student musical groups that reflect the academic environment and celebrate its traditions. They are calledTunas and each one has particular characteristics.Desertuna,Moçoilas Tuna andJ’ B’ubi & To Kokuskopus perform throughout the year and welcome everyone that wants to join in and get into the academic spirit. The city hall organizes some musical events, mainly in Teatro Cine, which is located in the heart of the city centre (Pelourinho).
The theatre company GICC (Companhia de Teatro das Beiras), based in Travessa da Tapa, offers professional, high-quality performances. There are also various amateur drama groups and dance groups performing in several town locations; ASTA and TEATRUBI are just some examples. Conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs, concerts and other kinds of activities are common in the city. Several trade fairs occur throughout the year in a pavilion belonging to the ANIL – National Association of Textile ManufacturersANIL.
Like otheruniversity towns Covilhã has a lively nightlife scene. Due to the small dimension of the city, it is easy and safe to get around, and there are many pleasant places to have a drink.
a freshman reception week, organised by the students' union of the University of Beira Interior (Associação Académica da Universidade da Beira Interior), takes place usually in November and includes a parade through town calledLatada and several concerts.
The cuisine of Covilhã is influenced by those ofSerra da Estrela and theCova da Beira..[13][14][15]
Lamb,goat meat andriver trout dishes, rice withcarqueja (Genista tridentata), a variety ofcold meats (includingchouriço andpresunto),morcela, honey fromSerra da Estrela Natural Park, localrequeijão, the internationally acclaimedSerra da Estrela Cheese, peach, apple,chestnut,cherries andberries, are typical locally sourced ingredients and products used in Covilhã’s traditional cuisine.[16]
Thepastel de molho, a typicalpastry of Covilhã made with ameat-based core and asaffron-based sauce, is regarded as the city’s gastronomic delicacy.[17][18]
Cherovia (Pastinaca sativa), informally described as a type of white carrot, is also a typical food in and around Covilhã.[19]
The city has indoor swimming pools and there are also rivers and lakes where swimming is allowed. Facilities forhorse riding andkarting are also available. The mountain range has excellent conditions for mountain bike, trekking,climbing,skiing andsnowboarding. There are tracks with artificial snow that are open all year. There are severalgyms offering various services such assauna,fitness,martial arts, andyoga.
Sporting Clube da Covilhã, a sports club founded in 1923 in Covilhã, is the most important sporting organization in the city. Itsfootball (soccer) team now plays in the secondary national divisions, but in the past played in the top division. It is one of the few clubs of Portugal's interior to have played in thetop division of Portuguese football. This football team plays in theEstádio Municipal José dos Santos Pinto, a stadium opened in 1935 which is owned by the City Hall and is located in the higher part of the city at 1,200 meters above sea level. The City Hall is also the owner of a newer sports complex with a stadium and athletics track located in the lower part of the city and inaugurated in 2003 - it is theComplexo Desportivo da Covilhã.
The nearest airports are located inLisbon andPorto. From these two cities, Covilhã can be very easily reached both by train and bus. The railway and bus stations of Covilhã are within a walking distance from one to the other (10 minutes walk). It is also possible to reach Covilhã directly by bus from abroad.
Covilhã is located, less than 300 km fromLisbon andPorto, the two biggest cities in Portugal and just 400 km from theSpanish capital,Madrid. Several national and international bus routes pass Covilhã, so it is easy and practical to reach almost all destinations. To reach Lisbon takes 3.5-4h by bus or by train. The bus station is situated in the lower part of the city; and the railway station is near, no more than 10 minutes walking. The railway company, CP (Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses), offers various types of services. An InterCity (Intercidades) train is recommended to reach Covilhã. There are also car rental companies in the city.
From Covilhã northwards to Guarda trains were operated by diesel motorcars. This scenic stretch of mountainous rural line provides the strategic last leg of the Beira Baixa Railway linking it to Guarda via Belmonte. However, for twelve years it was closed for modernisation and electrification. The works, originally due for completion in 2011, were finally completed permitting reopening of the 46 km line toGuarda in May 2021[20] after serious funding issues due to the weakness of thePortuguese economy.
A bus network –Transportes Urbanos da Covilhã – covers the entire urban area as well as the outskirts of the city, making it easy to travel both within and outside the city limits, although the buses are infrequent (not less than 1 hour between buses). Several bus lines serve university buildings. Cabs are also an option. They are painted cream (mostly black these days) and sometimes have a roof-light to identify them. In town they usetaximeters, but once outside urban boundaries the service is charged per km.
The present mayor is Vitor Manuel Pinheiro Pereira, elected by theSocialist Party.
Covilhã istwinned with:
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