Loulé () is a city and municipality in the region of Algarve, district of Faro, Portugal. In 2021, the population of the entire municipality was 72,373 inhabitants, in an area of approximately . The municipality has two principal cities: Loulé (the seat of the municipality) and Quarteira.

History

235px|left|thumb|Ruins of the Roman settlement of Cerro da Vila

Human presence in the territory of Loulé dates back to the Later Paleolithic. The growth of the settlement of Loulé likely stemmed from the late Neolithic, when small bands began rotating agricultural crops and herds around numerous subterranean cavities in its proximity (specifically around Goldra, Esparguina and Matos da Nora).

Kingdom

thumb|235px|left|The walls of the Castle of Loulé, reconstructed during the Nationalist [[Estado Novo (Portugal)|Estado Novo era]]

In 1249, King D. Afonso III supported by D. Paio Peres Correia, Knight and Master of the Order of Santiago, conquered the castle from the Moors, and integrated into the possessions of the Portuguese Crown. and wildlife. The seat of the municipality, the city of Loulé proper, is about 10 kilometres inland from the nearest coast at an elevation exceeding 100 meters and higher.

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 9 civil parishes (freguesias):

  • Almancil
  • Alte
  • Ameixial
  • Boliqueime
  • Quarteira
  • Querença, Tôr e Benafim
  • Salir
  • São Clemente
  • São Sebastião

Culture

thumb|235px|The beach of Praia da Gaivota with resort hotels in the background

A highlight of the summer months in Loulé is Noite Branca, the Festival of White Night held to celebrate the end of summer. Locals and tourists, all wearing white, converge on the town, where a dazzling display of music, dance and pageantry awaits. Young people wander the streets, dressed in white as princes and princesses, demons and winged fantasy figures, while live bands play in the background.

Loulé is also the largest municipality in the Algarve and includes well-known towns near the sea (like Vilamoura or Quinta do Lago) but also the hidden villages in the Algarve mountains where there are unmistakable landscapes.

Economy

The tertiary sector is the engine of the economy of Loulé municipality and is related to tourism, namely sun and beach tourism in such places like Vilamoura and Quarteira. In the primary sector, the agricultural area occupies about 34.2% of the area of the municipality, with the predominance of cereals for grain, citrus, vines and dried fruits, temporary grassland and forage crops. With regard to livestock, poultry, sheep and pigs stand out as the main species produced. Loulé has a high forest density of almost 50% (49.8%) of the useful agricultural area, which corresponds to 12,216 ha, devoted essentially to plantations of pine tree. The food, construction and cement industries (CIMPOR has a major cement plant in Loulé) are the main economic activities of the secondary sector.

Sport

In Pavilhão Desportivo Municipal de Loulé (an indoor sports arena), a World Cup is held every year in the sport of trampolining. The most noteworthy football team in Loulé is the Louletano D.C. Louletano-Loulé Concelho is a professional cycling team based in Loulé.

Notable citizens

thumb|140px|Aníbal Cavaco Silva, 2007

  • José Mendes Cabeçadas (1883–1965) a Navy officer, freemason, republican and revolutionary
  • Duarte Pacheco (1900–1943) a Government minister responsible for improving Portuguese infrastructure during the Estado Novo era.
  • Pedro Correia de Barros (1911–1968) navy officer and governor of Mozambique 1958-1961
  • Laura Ayres (1922–1992) a virologist, a pioneer in the fight against AIDS
  • John Jacob Lavranos (1926–2018) a Greek/South African insurance broker and botanist, lived in Loulé from 1995
  • Aníbal Cavaco Silva (born 1939) a Portuguese economist, scholar, Prime Minister of Portugal 1985-1995 and 19th President of Portugal 2006-2016
  • António Carrilho (born 1942) a Roman Catholic priest and Bishop of Funchal
  • Vítor Aleixo (born 1956) the current mayor of Loulé
  • Nuno Guerreiro (born 1972), Portuguese singer (lead vocalist of Ala dos Namorados).
  • Jamila Madeira (born 1975) a politician and Member of the European Parliament
  • Dânia Neto (born 1983) an actress and model

Tourism

Loulé has developed its Cultural Tourism through exhibitions, markets, fairs and processions. It is an official Creative Tourism City and offers to tourists cultural authenticity.

References

  • Photos from Loulé
  • Virtual Tour - Loulé