View source for Santa Maria da Feira

{{Infobox Portuguese subdivision
| type            = municipality
|official_name      = 
|image_flag         = Pt-vfr3.png
|image_shield       = VFR1.png
|image_skyline      = Castelo de Sta. Maria da Feira6.jpg
|image_caption      = 
|image_location     = LocalSantaMariaDaFeira.svg
|region             = [[Norte Region, Portugal|Norte]]
|metro              = [[Metropolitan Area of Porto|Porto]]
|district           = [[Aveiro District|Aveiro]]
|parishes           = [[#Geography|21]]
|leader_name        = Emídio Sousa
|leader_party       = [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]
|coordinates        = {{coord|40|56|N|8|32|W|type:adm1st_region:PT_dim:100000|display=inline,title}}
|elevation          = 
|elevation_min      = 
|elevation_max      = 
|area_total         = 215.88
|population_as_of   = 2011
|population_total   = 139,309
|patron             = 
|postal_code        = 
|area_code          = 
|website            = {{website|https://www.cm-feira.pt/portal/site/cm-feira}}
}}

'''Santa Maria da Feira''' ({{IPA|pt-PT|ˈsɐ̃tɐ mɐˈɾi.ɐ ðɐ ˈfɐjɾɐ|-|Pt-pt Santa Maria da Feira FF.ogg}}) is a city and a [[concelho|municipality]] in [[Aveiro District]] in Portugal, 23&nbsp;km from central [[Porto]]. The population in 2011 was 139,309,<ref name=ine>[http://www.ine.pt/ngt_server/attachfileu.jsp?look_parentBoui=165404348&att_display=n&att_download=y Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE)], Census 2011 results according to the 2013 administrative division of Portugal</ref> in an area of 215.88&nbsp;km².<ref name=dgt>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dgterritorio.pt/cartografia_e_geodesia/cartografia/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal_caop_/caop__download_/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal___versao_2017__em_vigor_/ |title=Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país |access-date=2018-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105172426/http://www.dgterritorio.pt/cartografia_e_geodesia/cartografia/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal_caop_/caop__download_/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal___versao_2017__em_vigor_/ |archive-date=2018-11-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History ==
[[File:CasteloStaMariaFeira1.jpg|235px|thumb|left|[[Castle of Santa Maria da Feira]].]]
Santa Maria is located in area that allowed it to be a crossroads of various peoples. Ancient Roman roadways connected Porto, Viseu, Lisbon and Braga and intersected the region, and was used until the 19th century. In addition, pre-Roman [[Castro culture|castros]] dotted the territory.

{{seealso| Castle of Santa Maria da Feira}}

The Castle of Santa Maria da Feira is the fulcrum of the history of the region, and an important point in the [[Reconquista]]. In 868, [[Alfonso III of León]] created the administrative and military region, that he called ''Terra de Santa Maria'', he laid its defences in the military fortress that existed there, in Civitas Sanctae Mariae.<ref name="Câmara">{{citation |url=https://www.cm-feira.pt/portal/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/Thematic%2520Navigation/Urbanismo/Atlas/Atlas%2520de%2520Santa%2520Maria%2520da%2520Feira/ficheiros/Atlas%2520de%2520Santa%2520Maria%2520da%2520Feira%2520-%2520Vers%25C3%25A3o%2520Digital/Parte%25203%2520-%2520Conhecimento%2520Humano.pdf|location=Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal |language=pt |editor=Câmara Municipal |publisher=Câmara Municipal de Santa Maria de Feira |title=Atlas da Santa Maria da Feira III: Conhecimento Humano |pages=1–156}}</ref><ref name="Roteiro">{{citation |url=http://www.presidencia.pt/archive/doc/Castelo_de_Santa_Maria_da_Feira.pdf |title=Roteiro para o Património: Castelo de Santa Maria da Feira |editor=Presidência da Republica |location=Lisbon, Portugal |language=pt |pages=1–5 |date=January 2008 |access-date=6 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215102351/http://www.presidencia.pt/archive/doc/Castelo_de_Santa_Maria_da_Feira.pdf |archive-date=15 February 2008 }}</ref>
Since 1117, Feira was the location of one of the most important [[fairs]] in Portugal, which, over time, gave the town its name.<ref name="IGESPAR">{{citation |url=http://www.igespar.pt/en/patrimonio/pesquisa/geral/patrimonioimovel/detail/70478/ |title=Castelo da Feira |editor=IGESPAR |access-date=5 August 2011 |year=2011 |location=Lisbon, Portugal |publisher=IGESPAR - Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716155903/http://www.igespar.pt/en/patrimonio/pesquisa/geral/patrimonioimovel/detail/70478/ |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref> The fair was established in the shadow of the castle.

In the time of king [[Denis of Portugal]], Feira already was the see of a ''julgado'' (old administrative division). This is testified by an ancient document called ''Foral Velho''. It was awarded a new [[foral]] in 1514, when [[Manuel I of Portugal]] was the King of Portugal.

== Art ==
Danonaselo is a sculpture created by [[San Damon]] at the very beginning of the creation of [[Oniroscopism]] in 2004 and even before. It is part of the S.O.G. series (Geometric Oniroscopic Sculpture). Danonaselo is a very specific proper name given by [[San Damon]] to this sculpture. All the difficulty comes from the fact that Damon had to move from 2D drawing to 3D sculpture with the particular twists and angles that emerge from the strange character. Indeed, the night lighting surrounding the Danonaselo and the daylight that illuminates it, and in particular the presence of the sun that revolves around it, makes us see a totally different character. Shadows are thrown to the ground and angles are projected on the facades. The Danonaselo is placed for life in a public square in Portugal, in Fiães in the entity of Santa Maria da Feira and is part of the Portuguese heritage. The work is three metres high and looks out, as [[San Damon]] wanted, towards the ocean through the lands of [[Mozelos (Santa Maria da Feira)|Mozelos]], [[Lourosa (Santa Maria da Feira)|Lourosa]], [[São Paio de Oleiros]], etc. The roundabout on which the Danonaselo is placed is decorated with certain flowers in harmony with the work. A plaque on the base explains the meaning of the work and a poem written by [[San Damon]] encloses it.

==Geography==
The municipality includes several towns (''vilas'') and 3 cities (''[[cidades]]''): [[Feira (Santa Maria da Feira)|Santa Maria da Feira]], [[Fiães (Santa Maria da Feira)|Fiães]] and [[Lourosa (Santa Maria da Feira)|Lourosa]]. It is the most populous [[município]] in [[Entre Douro e Vouga]] and it is part of the [[Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto]].

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 21 civil parishes (''[[freguesia (Portugal)|freguesias]]''):<ref>{{cite web|title=Law nr. 11-A/2013, pages 552 106-107|url=http://dre.pt/pdf1sdip/2013/01/01901/0000200147.pdf |access-date=30 July 2014|author=Diário da República|author-link=Diário da República|language=pt|format=pdf}}</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Argoncilhe]]
* [[Arrifana (Santa Maria da Feira)|Arrifana]]
* [[Caldas de São Jorge e Pigeiros]]
* [[Canedo, Vale e Vila Maior]]
* [[Escapães]]
* [[Fiães (Santa Maria da Feira)|Fiães]]
* [[Fornos (Santa Maria da Feira)|Fornos]]
* [[Lobão, Gião, Louredo e Guisande]]
* [[Lourosa (Santa Maria da Feira)|Lourosa]]
* [[Milheirós de Poiares]]
* [[Mozelos (Santa Maria da Feira)|Mozelos]]
* [[Nogueira da Regedoura]]
* [[Paços de Brandão]]
* [[Rio Meão]]
* [[Romariz]]
* [[Sanguedo]]
* [[Santa Maria da Feira, Travanca, Sanfins e Espargo]]
* [[Santa Maria de Lamas]]
* [[São João de Ver]]
* [[São Paio de Oleiros]]
* [[São Miguel do Souto e Mosteirô]]
{{div col end}}

== Demographics ==
{{Historical populations|1864|31692|1878|33676|1890|36684|1900|38494|1911|45048|1920|45008|1930|52679|1940|61505|1950|70532|1960|83483|1970|94970|1981|109531|1991|118641|2001|135964|2011|139312|2021|136674|align=none|cols=2|source=INE<ref>Instituto Nacional de Estatística. [https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_publicacoes (Recenseamentos Gerais da População)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408005823/https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_publicacoes |date=8 April 2008 }}</ref>}}

==International relations==
{{Main|List of twin towns and sister cities in Portugal}}

Santa Maria da Feira Municipality is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Cidades Geminadas|url=https://cm-feira.pt/cidades-geminadas|website=cm-feira.pt|publisher=Santa Maria da Feira|language=pt|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|GNB}} [[Catió]], Guinea-Bissau
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Joué-lès-Tours]], France, since 1989
*{{flagicon|MAR}} [[Kenitra]], Morocco
*{{flagicon|BUL}} [[Targovishte]], Bulgaria

==Economy==
Santa Maria da Feira is a heavily industrialized municipality and is famous for its several [[cork (material)|cork]] transforming and shoe factories. The town is the headquarters of [[Corticeira Amorim|Amorim]] corporation. The seat of the municipality is Feira, famous for its medieval castle which was the residence of Portugal's first king, [[Afonso I of Portugal|Afonso Henriques]], for a short period of time. The castle, located at the top of a hill, was of considerable strategic importance during its time.

Every year, in summer, a medieval festival takes place in Santa Maria da Feira - the ''Viagem Medieval'' - during which the city goes back to the Middle Ages.

==Architecture==
The municipality's sights include the Convento do Espírito Santo (convent), the Igreja da Misericórdia (church; 18th century), and the Rua Direita (street; 18th and 19th century architecture). However, its greatest landmark is the castelo [[Santa Maria da Feira Castle]], from the 11th century.

==Culture==
[[File:FeiraMedieval 2005-08-03.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Medieval festival parade]]
[[File:Fogaca Sweet Bread.jpg|thumb|200px|Fogaça - typical sweet bread]]
The municipal holiday is January 20. It's the day when the whole municipality celebrates the ''Fogaceiras''. The ''Fogaceiras'' is a special local holiday. During the Middle Ages, the lands of ''Santa Maria'' (as it was known back then) were infested by the dark plague. To get rid of this calamity, the locals offered a [[sweet roll]], called fogaça, to the patron saint Saint Sebastian. The ''Fogaceiras'' have been celebrated for five hundred years, since the eradication of the dark plague.

The municipality has a science museum, the [[Visionarium (Portugal)|Visionarium]].

== Notable people ==
* [[Américo Amorim]] (1934 in Mozelos – 2017) a Portuguese billionaire businessman and a 50% owner of [[Corticeira Amorim]]
* [[Berta Nunes]] (born 1955) a Portuguese doctor and politician; was Mayor of the city of [[Alfândega da Fé]]
=== Sport ===
[[File:Rúben Neves.png|thumb|140px|Rúben Neves, 2017]]
* [[Dinis Resende]] (born 1967 in Paços de Brandão), known as ''Dinis,'' a Portuguese former footballer with 403 club caps
* [[Pedro Martins (footballer)|Pedro Martins]] (born 1970) a Portuguese football manager and former player with 358 club caps
* [[Tonel|António Leonel Vilar Nogueira Sousa]] (born 1980), known as ''Tonel'', is a Portuguese former footballer with 432 club caps
* [[Hélder Castro]] (born 1986 in Fiães) a Portuguese footballer with over 400 club caps
* [[Sérgio Oliveira]] (born 1992 in  Paços de Brandão) a Portuguese footballer with over 200 club caps and 13 for [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] 
* [[Rúben Neves]] (born 1997) a Portuguese footballer, plays for [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.]] and has 32 caps with [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]]
* [[Fábio Vieira (footballer, born 2000)|Fábio Vieira]] (born 2000) a Portuguese footballer, plays for [[Arsenal F.C.]]

==Sport==
[[C.D. Feirense]] is based in the municipality.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050415083051/http://www.feirenseweb.com/ Feirense web]
*[http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20020817031126/http://www.anmp.pt/munp/mun/mun101w3.php?cod=M4520 Info at the Portuguese Association of Municipalities website]
*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/vitor107/sets/1419586/ Photos from Santa Maria da Feira]
*[https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=santa+maria+da+feira More pictures of Santa Maria da Feira]
* https://correiodafeira.pt/pt/content/155-cultura?artigo=17830-as-minhas-obras-falam-umas-com-as-outras-atraves-do-cruzamento-do-olhar {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017002035/https://correiodafeira.pt/pt/content/155-cultura?artigo=17830-as-minhas-obras-falam-umas-com-as-outras-atraves-do-cruzamento-do-olhar |date=2018-10-17 }} *

{{Municipalities of Aveiro}}
{{PortoMA}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Maria Da Feira Municipality}}
[[Category:Santa Maria da Feira| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Portugal]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Aveiro District]]