CASTELO BRANCO
N 39º 49' 23''; W 7º 29' 35''
Castelo Branco is a Portuguese border town, capital of the district of Castelo Branco and located in the statistical region of Centro, in the sub-region of Beira Baixa and in the former province of the same name, with 34,455 inhabitants in its urban perimeter (2021).
It is the seat of the Municipality of Castelo Branco, the third largest in Portugal in terms of area, with an area of 1,438.19 km² and 52,272 inhabitants (Albicastrenses) (2021), subdivided into 19 parishes. The municipality is limited to the north by the municipality of Fundão, to the east by Idanha-a-Nova, to the south by Espanha, to the southwest by Vila Velha de Ródão and to the west by Proença-a-Nova and by Oleiros.
Unlike other cities in the region, which grew notably due to the textile industry, Castelo Branco has always had a geostrategic and political importance in Portugal. It is not, for that reason, subject to the economic fluctuations that relocate textile companies - especially unskilled manual labor - as happened in the northern region and in Cova da Beira. The predominant sociological composition is for this reason also very different from other working class cities.
In 2006, in a study carried out by DECO, it was considered the second district capital in the country with the best quality of life. In 2017, it is in 36th place nationally, and 7th place in the Center region, according to a study by Bloom Consulting.
History
Castelo Branco probably had its origins on the site of a pre-Roman castro. At the beginning of the 12th century, there was a village on top of Colina da Cardosa, on whose slope the settlement of the village developed.
Location
The city of Castelo Branco is located in the interior of Portugal, approximately 50 km from the border with Spain and is about 100 km from the city of Guarda and 80 km from the city of Portalegre, the closest district capitals.
Culture
Castelo Branco embroidery
One of the typical products of the region is Castelo Branco embroidery - on linen bedspreads embroidered with natural silk thread, which are believed to be of oriental inspiration and which became known from the mid-16th century onwards. Their bright colors are notorious, as well as the elements they portray, usually related to Nature, with emphasis on the frequent use of trees and birds.
Embroidery from Castelo Branco has similarities with quilts from Toledo and Guadalupe, in Spain. They represented, for centuries, the dignity of the trousseau of any bride in the region, whether commoner or noble.
Some of the elements of these embroideries are the home and the tree of life. The spouses are represented by birds together; carnations and roses represent man and woman, respectively; the lilies, Virtue; the hearts, Love; tendrils, Friendship, among others.
Museums
The Francisco Tavares Proença Júnior Museum is the best known in the city of Castelo Branco. Founded in 1910, it is already a centenary museum, although it was not always open in that period of time. It holds many pieces that identify the city and region, such as archaeological finds, 16th-century tapestries and Portuguese primitive art.
The Solar dos Cavaleiros, a mid-18th-century building in the heart of the historic centre, serves as the installation for part of the Cargaleiro Museum, where it is possible to appreciate a remarkable set of works that make up the collection of the Manuel Cargaleiro Foundation: painting, ceramics, sculpture , tiles, tapestry. The Museum was inaugurated on April 25, 2004.
The Casa da Memória is a museum dedicated to honoring the memory of the Jewish people, namely the Albicastrenses Jews who, as long as they were allowed to live in Portugal, lived in the Jewry - on Rua Nova - and the New Christians (name by which the Jews who continued to reside in Portugal after the forced conversion) who, under the threatening gaze of the Inquisition, lived all over the town.
Finally, there is the Museum of Sacred Art "Domingos dos Santos Pio", operating in Convento da Graça since 11 November 1984, which houses artefacts of a religious nature.
Patrimony
Monte de São Martinho Archaeological Station
Proto-urban cluster. Bronze Age village with previous occupation of the site in the Neolithic and later Roman occupation. Fortified settlement. Long-term occupation of the village. Identification of numerous archaeological remains.
Convent and Church of Grace
The Convent of Nossa Senhora das Graças, also known as Convento da Graça, is a convent located next to the north exit of the city of Castelo Branco. Until 1834, it belonged to the Order of Hermitages of Santo Agostinho and is currently the seat of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Castelo Branco.
The Church of Nossa Senhora das Graças, commonly known as Igreja da Graça, is an integral part of the Convento da Graça in Castelo Branco.
Tourism
Some of the places to visit are the Garden of the Episcopal Palace (1725), the City Park, the Templar castle and the Francisco Tavares Proença Júnior Museum, based in the former Episcopal Palace, rich in archaeological pieces, tapestries, numismatics and Portuguese 16th century painting. Note also the growth of several leisure areas, aimed at younger guests. The Pólis program created new municipal swimming pools, new parks for the practice of sports and renovated the City Park. Of special importance is also its nightlife. Perfectly integrated in the civic center of the city, Devesa, are the "Docas", a set of new bars and cafes, with a calm atmosphere, for all ages, which provide unique moments to those who visit them. Being mostly frequented by natives, young people from the Portalegre region, from the more rural areas of the municipality and even from Lisbon and Porto also attend.
Economy
The city is home to Centauro, a company that produces heat exchangers and equipment for the refrigeration, air conditioning and air conditioning industry, and which currently employs around 200 people. Together with other companies in the sector based in the city, Castelo Branco is a national reference in the refrigeration industry.[15]
The Portuguese subsidiary of Danone has its factory in Castelo Branco, being one of the oldest companies installed in the industrial area of Castelo Branco, and where Danone products are produced daily for the entire Iberian Peninsula.
The District of Castelo Branco is also famous for the quality of its cheese, having several cheese dairies of various qualities that generate a lot of money in the region.
Aptiv is the city's flagship factory and largest employer, with over 1000 workers. The company produces automotive components for the main brands in the automotive sector such as Ferrari, PSA or John Deere.
There are also many jobs in the commercial sector, highlighted in the main shopping centers of the city, such as Alegro and Forum.
Altogether, the Industrial Zone of Castelo Branco employs 4000 people, making it the largest economic hub in the region.
Climate
The climate in the municipality of Castelo Branco is temperate Mediterranean, influenced by continentality, so it has little humidity throughout the year. The location of the city, in a transitional area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, gives it many of the climatological properties that it presents. The average air temperature is around 15.5 °C, reaching its minimum in January (with average minimum temperatures close to 4 °C) and with an average of 7.9 °C. Its maximum occurs in July (where the temperature is, on average, around 25 °C).
Precipitation is more abundant from October to January, with occasional snowfall and with average monthly values above 100mm. On the other hand, in July and August, precipitation is residual, these being the driest months that the city experiences annually. In winter, in January, Castelo Branco has minimum temperatures of -4 °C, but there are records of -7 °C, sometimes with snowfall (average of 8 cm).
Hits
Castelo Branco is served by a railway station on the Beira Baixa Line. The municipality is served by more stations, predominantly in the more rural parishes. In road terms, it has a bus terminal, with routes to all parts of the country, namely Lisbon, Porto, Algarve and also to Spain. The city is served by a motorway, the A23 (Torres Novas - Guarda) with three exits; south exit, with direct access to the industrial zone, the center exit, with more direct access to the historic area and the north exit, for the more residential areas and also for the more rural areas. There are other options for more rural parishes.
From Lisbon: Take the A1 to the Torres Novas/A23 junction and on this to one of the three exits (North, Center or South)
From Porto: Take the A1 to Albergaria-a-Velha/A25, the latter to Guarda/A23 and the latter to the most convenient exit.
From the Algarve: Although there are several alternatives, the best is via the A22 to Faro/IP2, the latter to the Portalegre bypass and then the A23.
Parishes
Map of the parishes of Castelo Branco.
The municipality of Castelo Branco is divided into 19 parishes.
Alcains (vila)
Almaceda
Benquerenças
Castelo Branco
Cebolais de Cima e Retaxo
Escalos de Baixo e Mata
Escalos de Cima e Lousa
Freixial e Juncal do Campo
Lardosa
Louriçal do Campo
Malpica do Tejo
Monforte da Beira
Ninho do Açor e Sobral do Campo
Póvoa de Rio de Moinhos e Cafede
Salgueiro do Campo
Santo André das Tojeiras
São Vicente da Beira (vila)
Sarzedas
Tinalhas
