Castro Verde () is a municipality of the Alentejo region of Portugal (in the historic district of Beja). The population in 2011 was 7,276, in an area of 569.44&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. Castro Verde is situated in the Baixo Alentejo subregion, within a territory known locally as the Campo Branco ().

The municipality can be recognized by the local municipal markers along its borders, that appear within its borders to denote its reference as A Window on the Plains; municipal markers appear as stylized house profiles, with an exaggerated window that allows the visitor to see through into the panorama.

History

thumb| left | 200px |[[Syllabary of Espança, an ancient stone with evidence of Phoenician influences in the region]]

thumb|left|200px|'D. Afonso Henriques', azulejo of the monarch in the Royal Basilica of Castro Verde dedicated to the Battle of Orique

thumb|left|200px|The 1510 Charter of the town of Castro Verde promulgated by Manuel I of Portugal

The pre-History of the Baixo Alentejo Subregion dates back to 200,000 B.C. when the territory was crossed by migratory Neanderthal peoples from the north of Europe in the Lower Paleolithic period. Until their extinction, around 28,000 B.C., Neanderthal man hunted and foraged in present-day Portugal. Later, the area was home to several cultures due to the abundance of minerals and its commercial and strategic place along the Mediterranean. The earliest settlements began with Celtiberians, from the central Iberian Peninsula around the 6th Century B.C., and were followed by the Celts. While mineral extraction continued to drive the economy, herding assumed a fundamental part of the regions economy as well. During the 16th and 17th Century, the Campos de Ourique became the destination for many herds from Castela and Serra da Estrela, creating a new economic, social and cultural dimension to the municipality. At a time when Portugal was separated by the sea from the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, a series of events connected to active and hydrothermal volcanism, lead to the formation of the volcano-sedimentary Pyrite complex (when the landmass of Portugal collided into the Iberian peninsula). Castro Verde lies on one of the most important extractive deposits in Europe, that is responsible for sustaining the economy of the region, albeit an area with elevated risk of erosion. Mining activity, as a consequence, dates back thousands of years, with the remains of Roman mining structures identifying the importance of this area to the expansion of Roman metallurgy. In addition to sulfide ore, this southern area of Lusitania, was an abundant source of other minerals, such as gold, silver, copper, tin, lead and iron.

Ecoregions/protected areas

A large part of the municipality is covered by the European Union's Natura 2000 project; it is denoted as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for endangered species of steppe birds such as the great bustard and lesser kestrel.

Climate

Castro Verde has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with some Atlantic influence. It has hot dry summers and mild wet winters. The average annual temperature falls normally between . During the warmer months, maximum temperatures can reach or exceed ; during the winter, night temperatures can sometimes fall below the freezing point (9 days per year on average).

Human geography

Castro Verde Municipality is situated within an area commonly known as "Campo Branco", within the plains of the Alentejo that front the Serra do Caldeirão. It is located in the district of Beja, and limited to the north by the municipalities of Beja and Aljustrel, south by the municipality of Almodôvar, east by the municipality of Mértola and west by the municipality of Ourique. Over the past few decades, the population has generally concentrated in the larger urban communities. In 1970, the population of the municipality was 9004 inhabitants, decreasing to 7472 by 1981. Ten years later, it had grown slowly to 7786 residents, although the recent census (2001) indicated a small decrease (fixed at 7603 inhabitants). The literacy rates are relatively high, although 15.7% are considered illiterate. This is accentuated by 70% of the resident population having attained only a primary school level of education.

  • Castro Verde e Casével
  • Entradas
  • Santa Bárbara de Padrões
  • São Marcos da Ataboeira

Economy

Population growth has primarily been the result developments with the mining industry, and in particular the Neves-Corvo mining complex. Its activities, and related services, civil construction and public works have seen reciprocal growth in municipal services and population. There has also been a parallel growth in mining jobs related to this development, since 1979.

There is a hierarchical distribution of the active workforce: 11.12% are employed in the primary sector, 32.7% in secondary industries, while a majority (56.18%) are employed in tertiary services. This distribution is generally maintained in all communities in the municipality, except Santa Bárbara dos Padrões, where the Neves-Corvo mine is the main employer, and Entradas, where some agriculture and ranching occur.

Transport

Castro Verde is located in a privileged location along a corridor that connects the northern districts to the Algarve, and fundamental access to communication lines:

The airports in Faro (100&nbsp;km), Lisbon (190&nbsp;km) and Sevilha (270&nbsp;km) and the maritime port of Sines (95&nbsp;km) are conveniently located to access other major centres.

Connections to other locations within the country are made through the road network: to the Litoral Alentejo through Ourique (E.N. 123); to the coastal Algarve (along the A2 and I.C.1); to Lisbon via the A2; to Mértola (on the E.N. 123); to Almodôvar (along the E.N.2); and to Beja and Évora (on the I.P.2).

Within the municipality, public transport connects all localities by at least one service (except on the weekends), and a national Express service connects Castro Verde communities to stations in Beja, Évora, Lisbon and Algarve, in addition to Tomar, Coimbra, Porto, Braga and Elvas.

Architecture

thumb|170px|The [[Estado Novo (Portugal)|Estado Novo-era monument to the Battle of Ourique, not be confused with the commemorative pillory of the Battle of Ourique]]

thumb|170px|Commemorative pillory of the Battle of Ourique located on the Municipal Hall plaza

thumb|170px|The Royal Basilica of Castro Verde, the actual Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, constructed by King [[Sebastian of Portugal|Sebastian to honour Afonso Henriques for his defeat of the Moorish kings at the Battle of Ourique]]

thumb|170px|Fonte de Milagre temple dating from 1714 (built during the same period as the Chapel of São Miguel)

Civic

  • Commemorative Pillory of the Battle of Ourique ('), originally erected along the northern side the Chapel of São Pedro in 1785, this marker was moved to the site of the municipal council hall around 1960. It had, around 9 May 1792, been modified to include a medallion with the image of Queen Maria II, whose bust was affixed under the words "...of the glorious apparition of Christ Our Father to our first monarch D. Afonso Henriques". The administration relationship between the "Chapel" and "Fonte" no longer exists and the rich heritage has been hidden from recent history, laying dormant for more than 150 years. However the chapel has been classified by IGESPAR as a Property of Public Interest; and in 2008, the Associação de S. Miguel para Medicina Bio-Energética was formed as a non-profit organisation to research the viability of reestablishing treatment protocols at the 'Fonte de Milagre' since it continues as a powerful area of therapeutic action. The site of the temple and water well has been in a phase recovery since 2009.

Religious

  • Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (), the basilica dates back to the reign of King John V (1706–1750), and was erected over an older temple, that had already been remodelled in the reign of King Sebastian (1568–1578). Consisting of a central nave, lateral sacristies and two bell towers, one with a clock. Its interior walls are covered in panels of azulejo representing the Battle of Ourique and its ceiling is composed of polychromatic wood, with gold-leaf altars in the Baroque- and Joanino-styles.
  • Church of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios ('), also referred to as the Church of Our Lord's Stimgmata, is dedicated to Our Lady of Medicine and founded by Afonso Henriques following the . During the 17th Century, the church was mostly in ruins, when Philip II decided to restore the church by collecting funds through a fair (which was first held in 1620); the Feira de Castro would persist until 1834, before it became a secular event of the Baixo Alentejo region.
  • Chapel of São Pedro das Cabeças ('), from Geraldos, the 15th-century temple is a rural sanctuary, and devotional site for pilgrims: it is located on the plain that was part of the mythical Battle of Ourique, where Afonso Henriques triumphed over five Moorish Kings. The chapel is located at the high point along the plain, and was ordered constructed by King Sebastian, to pay homage to the first King of Portugal and his historical victory.

Notable citizens

  • Alfredo Luís da Costa (1883 in Casével – 1908) a publicist, editor, journalist, store clerk and salesman, one of the two assassins of King Carlos I of Portugal and Luis Filipe, Prince Royal of Portugal during the 1908 Lisbon Regicide.
  • Rogério Contreiras (1922–1990) a former football goalkeeper with a three-year spell at Benfica
  • Frederico Rosa (1957–2019) a professional footballer with 397 club caps

See also

  • Timeline of Portuguese history
  • Prehistoric Iberia

References

Notes

Sources