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92-407: Covilhã's history dates back to the days when it was a pre-historical settlement, a shelter for Lusitanian shepherds, and a Roman fortress known as Cava Juliana or Silia 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

184-464: A public university - the University of Beira Interior (UBI), which was founded in 1979 and awards all university academic degrees ( licentiate " licenciatura ", master's and doctorate degrees) in several fields like medicine , mathematics , sports sciences , aeronautical engineering , industrial design , fashion design , cinema , psychology , and many others. Major economic activities in

276-466: A European branch of Indo-European dialects, termed "North-west Indo-European" and associated with the Beaker culture, may have been ancestral to not only Celtic and Italic, but also to Germanic and Balto-Slavic. Ellis Evans believes that Gallaecian - Lusitanian were one language (not separate languages) of the "P" Celtic variant. The Lusitanians were a people formed by several tribes that lived between

368-505: A marble tomb-slab close to the portal. The tomb of the knight Martim Gonçalves de Maçada, who saved the king's life during the battle at Aljubarrota, can be found close to the Capela do Fundador. The square Founder's Chapel ( Portuguese : Capela do Fundador ) was built between 1426 and 1434 by the architect Huguet on orders of King John I to become the first royal pantheon in Portugal. It gives

460-482: A perfect synthesis between Flamboyant Gothic and the English Perpendicular style, as Philippa of Lancaster had brought along a few English architects. The chapel consists of three notional bays and a central octagon buttressed by eight piers, adorned with crockets , supporting deeply stilted arches. The joint tomb of King John I of Portugal (d. 1433) and his wife Philippa of Lancaster (d. 1415) stands under

552-533: A promise of King John I of Portugal . The battle put an end to the 1383–85 Crisis . It took over a century to build, starting in 1386 and ending circa 1517, spanning the reign of seven kings. It took the efforts of fifteen architects ( Mestre das Obras da Batalha ), although for seven of them the title was merely honorary. The construction required an enormous effort, using extraordinary resources of men and material. New techniques and artistic styles, hitherto unknown in Portugal, were deployed. Work began in 1386 by

644-401: A restoration program of the abandoned and ruined convent, saving this jewel of Gothic architecture. The restoration would last till the early years of the 20th century. One of the last architects was master stonemason Jose Patrocinio de Sousa, responsible for rebuilding the monastery. It was declared a National Monument in 1907. In 1980 the monastery was turned into a museum. The Batalha convent

736-469: A second name linked to a locality such as Bandua Aetobrico, and Nabia , a goddess of rivers and streams. According to Strabo the Lusitanians were given to offering sacrifices; they practiced divination on the sacrificial offering by inspecting its vitals and veins. They also sacrificed human victims, prisoners of war, by striking them under coarse blankets and observing which way they fell. They cut off

828-465: A second royal mausoleum for himself and his descendants. But he and his queen Eleanor of Aragon are the only ones buried here (Eleanor died in exile in Toledo in 1445; her remains were moved here in 1456). The original design, begun by Huguet, was altered by successive architects, especially Mateus Fernandes (who is buried inside the church). The octagonal rotunda has seven radiating hexagonal chapels. In

920-517: A sports club founded in 1923 in Covilhã, is the most important sporting organization in the city. Its football (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 the top division of Portuguese football . This football team plays in the Estádio Municipal José dos Santos Pinto ,

1012-690: 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 the Complexo Desportivo da Covilhã . The nearest airports are located in Lisbon and Porto . From these two cities, Covilhã can be very easily reached both by train and bus. The railway and bus stations of Covilhã are within

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1104-919: 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 the Marquis 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, Penteadora, Tessimax and A. Saraiva, which supply large worldwide textile and fashion brands such as Hugo Boss , Armani , Zegna , Marks & Spencer , Yves St. Laurent , Calvin Klein and Christian Dior . Tourism

1196-454: 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. The University of Beira Interior , established in 1979, has great importance in the city today. The Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira at Covilhã,

1288-547: A type of white carrot, is also a typical food in and around Covilhã. The city has indoor swimming pools and there are also rivers and lakes where swimming is allowed. Facilities for horse riding and karting are also available. The mountain range has excellent conditions for mountain bike, trekking, climbing , skiing and snowboarding . There are tracks with artificial snow that are open all year. There are several gyms offering various services such as sauna , fitness , martial arts , and yoga . Sporting Clube da Covilhã ,

1380-526: 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 from Lisbon and Porto , the two biggest cities in Portugal and just 400 km from the Spanish 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

1472-581: Is a Dominican convent in the municipality of Batalha , historical Beira Litoral province, in the Centro of Portugal . Originally, and officially, known as the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory ( Portuguese : Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória ), it was erected in commemoration of the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota and would serve as the burial church of the 15th-century Aviz dynasty of Portuguese royalty. It

1564-419: Is a large shopping centre in Covilhã, Serra Shopping , and besides a wide variety of shops, it has hypermarket , four cinemas and many restaurants. Hypermarkets and supermarkets located in the lower part of the town include Continente (inside Serra Shopping ), Intermarché , Pingo Doce , and Lidl . The Public Market ( Mercado Municipal ) is another option and an opportunity to buy fresh produce directly from

1656-404: 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

1748-789: Is around 1,500 millimetres (59 in). Administratively, the municipality is divided into 21 civil parishes ( freguesias ): The municipality of Covilhã has several kindergartens for pre-school children between 3 and 6 years of age, and 3 primary education schools. It has also a number of 2nd and 3rd cycle basic and secondary 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 and Escola Internacional da Covilhã . Covilhã has

1840-421: Is completely decorated into a lacework of sumptuous and stylized Manueline motives: armillary spheres , winged angels, ropes, circles, tree stumps, clover-shaped arches and florid projections. This homage of King Manuel I to his predecessor King Edward mentions his motto Leauté faray tam yaserei ("I will always be loyal"). This motto is then repeated more than two hundred times in the arches, vaults and pillars of

1932-419: Is especially notable for its star vault lacking a central support and spanning a square space of 19 meters on the side. This was such a daring idea at the time that condemned prisoners were used to perform the task. It was completed after two failed attempts. When the last scaffolds were removed, it is said that Huguet spent the night under the vault to silence his critics. The stained-glass Renaissance window in

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2024-556: Is explained not only by the "notable" title granted to it by king D. Sebastião but also by the works carried out here and in the region by the Castilian kings during the time of the Iberian Union . The Town Hall Square was indeed until the end of the 20th century, of Spanish Philippine style . In the surrounding streets one can find several traces of this style. In the municipality as well. Examples of Manueline style can also be found in

2116-484: Is located 50 km (31 mi) to the south of Covilhã and the neighboring city of Fundão , 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 km (214.5 sq mi) of territory and includes several localities distributed across 31 civil parishes. In

2208-656: Is one of the best and original examples of Late Flamboyant Gothic architecture in Portugal, intermingled with the Manueline style. The monastery is a historic and cultural monument and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The monastery was built to thank the Virgin Mary for the Portuguese victory over the Castilians in the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385, fulfilling

2300-452: 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

2392-446: The Beaker culture . The Lusitanians worshiped various gods in a very diverse polytheism , using animal sacrifice . They represented their gods and warriors in rudimentary sculpture. Endovelicus was the most important god for the Lusitanians. He is considered a possible Basque language loan god by some, yet according to scholars like José Leite de Vasconcelos , the word Endovellicus

2484-492: The Celtiberians . They threw their darts from some distance, yet often hit their marks and wounded their targets deeply. Being active and nimble warriors, they would pursue their enemies and decapitate them. "In a narrow pass 300 Lusitani faced 1000 Romans; as a result of the action 70 of the former and 320 of the latter died. When the victorious Lusitani retired and dispersed confidently, one of them on foot became separated, and

2576-625: The Constable of Portugal (d. 1442), with his wife Isabella of Barcelos (d. 1466); Henry the Navigator (under a baldachin, d. 1460, a bachelor); and Peter of Coimbra ( regent for Afonso V, 1438–1448, who was killed at the Battle of Alfarrobeira in 1449; his remains were moved here in 1456) with his wife Isabella of Urgell (d. 1459). The three tombs on the west wall are copies of the original tombs of King Afonso V (r. 1438–1481), John II (r. 1481–1495) (empty because Masséna 's soldiers threw away

2668-536: The Italic languages ; based on the names of Lusitanian deities with other grammatical elements of the area. The Lusitanian language may in fact have been basal Italo-Celtic , a branch independent from Celtic and Italic , and splitting off early from Proto-Celtic and Proto-Italic populations who spread from Central Europe into western Europe after new Yamnaya migrations into the Danube Valley. Alternatively,

2760-574: The Middle 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 great Portuguese 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

2852-553: The Renaissance 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". The Infante 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

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2944-457: The Turdetani ( Celtic , pre-Celtic Indo-European , or Iberians ) and came from the south. The name Turduli Veteres (older or ancient Turduli), a tribe that dwelt in today's Aveiro District , seems to indicate they came from the north and not from the south (contrary to what is assumed on the map). Several Turduli peoples were possibly Callaeci tribes that initially came from the north, towards

3036-406: The central hospital and the highway, are located. Covilhã is located in the Centro region , Cova da Beira subregion , in central Portugal; 300 km (186 mi) Northeast of Lisbon , Portugal's capital; 100 km (62 mi) East of Coimbra , the regional administrative centre ; and at the bottom of the highest Portuguese mountain range, Serra da Estrela . The city of Castelo Branco

3128-504: The conquest of Ceuta in 1415. Covilhã personalities such as Frei Diogo Alves da Cunha , who is buried in the Church of Conceição, participated in the event. The presence of ‘’covilhanenses’’ in the whole process extends with Pêro da Covilhã (first Portuguese to set foot on land in Mozambique and who sent news to D. João II on how to reach the places where the spices were produced, preparing

3220-780: The Elder and Pomponius Mela distinguished the Lusitanians from neighboring Celtic groups like the Artabrians in their geographical writings. The original Roman province of Lusitania briefly included the territories of Asturia and Gallaecia , but these were soon ceded to the jurisdiction of the Provincia Tarraconensis in the north, while the south remained the Provincia Lusitania et Vettones . Later, Gallaecia would become its own province (taking much of modern Galicia and Northern Portugal). After this, Lusitania's northern border

3312-574: The Manueline style worked on the portal of the Capelas Imperfeitas. Together with the famous Diogo Boitac he realized the tracery of the arcades in the Claustro Real. Work on the convent continued into the reign of John III of Portugal with the addition of the fine Renaissance tribune (1532) by João de Castilho . The construction came to a halt when the king decided to put all his efforts in

3404-555: The Maritime Way to India), João Ramalho , Fernão Penteado and others. Among the missionaries we find Francisco Álvares , killed on the way to Brazil; Pêro da Covilhã , chaplain in Vasco da Gama ’s expedition to India, the first martyr of India; Father Francisco Cabral , missionary in Japan; Father Gaspar Pais , who left Goa for Abyssinia ; and many others who took, along with their faith,

3496-525: The Portuguese architect Afonso Domingues , who continued until 1402. He drew up the plan, and many of the structures in the church and the cloister are his doing. His style was essentially Rayonnant Gothic; however, there are influences from the English Perpendicular Period . There are similarities with the façade of York Minster and with the nave and transept of Canterbury Cathedral . He

3588-518: The Roman conquest. They ruled the Lusitanians (before Viriathus ) for some time, leading the tribes in the resistance against Roman attempts of conquest, and were successful. The known Lusitanian tribes were: It remains to be known if the Turduli Veteres , Turduli Oppidani , Turduli Bardili , and Turduli were Lusitanian tribes (coastal tribes), were related Celtic peoples, or were instead related to

3680-565: The Unfinished Chapels ( Capelas Imperfeitas ), a separate octagonal structure added to the complex. Off the east side, next to the church choir is the Chapterhouse ( Sala do Capítulo ). The Cloister of King João I borders on the church and this chapterhouse. The structure continues into the cloister of King Afonso V ( Claustro de D. Afonso V ). On the northern side of the complex lies the Tomb of

3772-677: The University of Beira Interior ( Associação Académica da Universidade da Beira Interior ), takes place usually in November and includes a parade through town called Latada and several concerts. The cuisine of Covilhã is influenced by those of Serra da Estrela and the Cova da Beira .. Lamb , goat meat and river trout dishes, rice with carqueja ( Genista tridentata) , a variety of cold meats (including chouriço and presunto ), morcela , honey from Serra da Estrela Natural Park , local requeijão ,

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3864-528: The Unknown Soldier from the First World War. The portal shows in the archivolt a profusion of 78 statues, divided over six rows, of Old Testament kings, angels, prophets and saints, each under a baldachin . The splays on both sides display (inferior copies of) statues of the apostles, with one standing on a chained devil. The tympanum shows Christ enthroned, sitting under a baldachin and flanked by

3956-477: The ambulatory forms a successful combination with the Manueline style in the arcade screens, added later by Mateus Fernandes. Two different patterns alternate, one with the cross of the Order of Christ, the other with armillaries. The colonettes , supporting these intricate arcade screens, are decorated with spiral motives, armillaries, lotus blossoms, briar branches, pearls and shells and exotic vegetation. Situated in

4048-457: The bones) and his son and heir, Prince Afonso (who died in an accident at the age of seventeen, predeceasing his father). As Capelas Imperfeitas ("The Unfinished Chapels") are a reminder that the monastery was never actually finished. They form a separate octagonal structure tacked on the choir of the church (via a retrochoir) and only accessible from the outside. It was commissioned in 1437 by King Edward of Portugal ("Dom Duarte", d. 1438) as

4140-466: The chapels. The Renaissance loggia , added at about 1533, was probably meant for musicians. It is ascribed to the architect João de Castilho . The Chapterhouse ( Portuguese : Sala do Capitulo ) reminds visitors of the military reason for the monastery's foundation: a military honor guard of two sentinels stands watch over the tombs of two unknown soldiers killed in World War I . This square room

4232-442: The church through ten stained-glass windows of the clerestory and the tall, traceried windows in the side walls and the transept and through the two rows of lanciform windows in the choir. The choir extends into two-bay transepts and consists of five apsidal chapels, with the central one projecting. Batalha probably had the first workshop for stained-glass windows in Portugal. The art was introduced to Portugal by German artists from

4324-456: The city. Several trade fairs occur throughout the year in a pavilion belonging to the ANIL – National Association of Textile Manufacturers ANIL . Like other university 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

4416-609: The city. This is the case of a Manueline window in the Jewish quarter in Rua das Flores. The architect Mateus Fernandes , from Covilhã, who designed the entrance door to the Imperfect Chapels in the Monastery 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

4508-630: The construction of the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. The earthquake of 1755 did some damage, but much greater damage was inflicted by the Napoleonic troops of Marshal Masséna , who sacked and burned the complex in 1810 and 1811. When the Dominicans were expelled from the complex in 1834, the church and convent were abandoned and left to fall into ruin. In 1840, king Ferdinand II of Portugal started

4600-466: The corners of the chapels stand the massive unfinished buttresses that were intended to support the vault. These pillars, designed by Diogo Boitac , are decorated with Manueline motives carved in stone. The portal rises to a monumental fifteen metres. It was originally built in Gothic style, but was transformed beyond recognition by Mateus Fernandes into a masterpiece of Manueline style (completed in 1509). It

4692-455: The diviner Artemidorus . Strabo differentiated the Lusitanians from the Iberian tribes and thought of them as being Celtiberians who had been known as Oestriminis in ancient times. However, based on archeological findings, Lusitanians and Vettones seem to have been largely pre-Celtic Indo-European populations that adopted Celtic cultural elements by proximity. On the other hand, Pliny

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4784-637: The east wall dates from 1508. It depicts scenes of the Passion and is attributed to the Portuguese painters Master João and Francisco Henriques. The Royal Cloister ( Portuguese : Claustro Real ) was not part of the original project. It was built under the architect Fernão de Évora between 1448 and 1477. Its sober outward appearance is in stark contrast with the Flamboyant Gothic style of the church. The carved tracery decoration in Gothic style (including quatrefoils , fleurs-de-lis and rosettes ) by Huguet in

4876-652: The enemy. Appian claims that when Praetor Brutus sacked Lusitania after Viriathus's death, the women fought valiantly next to their men as women warriors . While the Lusitanians did not speak a Romance language, nowadays Lusitanian is often used as a metonym for the Portuguese people , and similarly Lusophone is used to refer to a Portuguese speaker within or outside Portugal , Brazil , Macau , Timor-Leste , Angola , Mozambique , Cape Verde , São Tomé and Príncipe , Guinea Bissau and others territories and countries. Monastery of Batalha The Monastery of Batalha ( Portuguese : Mosteiro da Batalha )

4968-432: 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 use taximeters , but once outside urban boundaries

5060-471: The four Evangelists, each with his own attribute. The church is vast and narrow (22 m) in proportion to its height (32.4 m). The nave was raised to its present height by the second architect, Huguet, altering the proportions of the church and giving it its present aspect. Its interior gives a sober and bare impression by its lack of ornaments and statues in the nave. The ribbed vaults, supported by compound piers, are closed by ornamented keystones . Light enters

5152-461: The highest point of mainland Portugal, the Torre 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

5244-497: 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 by Fernando de Meneses, 2nd Count of Ericeira in 1681. On November 1, 1755, Covilhã was shaken by the forces of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake that destroyed part of Covilhã's castle walls and its large towers. A Royal Textile Factory

5336-466: The interior of the church seem even narrower. He also completed the transept , but he died before he could finish the Imperfect Chapels. During the reign of Afonso V of Portugal , the Portuguese architect Fernão de Évora continued the construction between 1448 and 1477. He added the Cloister of Afonso V. He was succeeded by the architect Mateus Fernandes the Elder in the period 1480–1515. This master of

5428-473: The internationally acclaimed Serra da Estrela Cheese , peach, apple, chestnut , cherries and berries , are typical locally sourced ingredients and products used in Covilhã’s traditional cuisine. The pastel de molho , a typical pastry of Covilhã made with a meat -based core and a saffron -based sauce, is regarded as the city’s gastronomic delicacy. Cherovia ( Pastinaca sativa ), informally described as

5520-539: The land was subsequently incorporated as a Roman province named after them ( Lusitania ). Frontinus mentions Lusitanian leader Viriathus as the leader of the Celtiberians , in their war against the Romans. The Greco-Roman historian Diodorus Siculus likened them to another Celtic tribe: "Those who are called Lusitanians are the bravest of all similar to the Cimbri ". The Lusitanians were also called Belitanians, according to

5612-547: The leader of the Lusitanians, and severely damaged the Roman rule in Lusitania and beyond. In 139 BC, Viriathus was betrayed and killed in his sleep by three of his companions (who had been sent as emissaries to the Romans), Audax, Ditalcus and Minurus , bribed by Marcus Popillius Laenas (although they were Viriathus warrior companions they were not Lusitanians themselves, they seem to have been Turdetanians , or from other people that

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5704-585: The mottos of the king Por bem ("for the better") and of the queen Yl me plet ("I am pleased"). This octagon is surrounded by an ambulatory with complex vaulting. At the south wall stand a row of recessed arches with the tombs of the four younger sons of John I, together with their spouses. From left to right: Ferdinand the Holy Prince (a bachelor, he died a prisoner in Fez in 1443; his bodily remains were later recovered and moved here in 1473); John of Reguengos ,

5796-421: The mountainous interior of central Portugal, increasing mechanization , 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

5888-522: 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 the Serra da Estrela Natural Park . Covilhã has a Mediterranean climate ( Csa , according to the Köppen climate classification ), moderately cold in the winter, and relatively warm in the summer. The Serra da Estrela Ski Resort ,

5980-485: The name of Covilhã and Fundão in Cova da Beira valley to all parts of the world. The brothers Rui Faleiro and Francisco Faleiro , cosmographers, became notable for their knowledge of nautical science. During renaissance is Friar Heitor 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,

6072-505: The northwestern corner of the Claustro Real , this work of Mateus Fernandes consists of a fountain and two smaller basins above, illuminated by light seeping through the intricate tracery of the arches around it. This sober cloister next to the Claustro Real was built in conventional Gothic style with double pointed arches. It was constructed in the second half of the 15th century by the architect Fernão de Évora. It stands in contrast with

6164-444: The only one in Portugal, lies about 20 km (12.4 mi) away from the city, already in the neighbouring municipality of Seia . 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 as Penhas da Saúde , above 1,500 meters of altitude, 9 km away from

6256-470: 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 to Altice , 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

6348-500: The region include textiles , food production , agriculture , tourism and mining . The Panasqueira 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

6440-678: The regions of Franconia and Nuremberg . The oldest windows date back to the end of the 1430s. But the Manueline , ogival stained-glass windows in the choir date from the 1520s and 1530s and were produced by Portuguese masters, among them Francisco Henriques . They represent scenes from the lives of Jesus and Mary: the Visitation, the Epiphany, the Flight into Egypt and the Resurrection of Christ. The architect Mateus Fernandes and his wife are buried under

6532-489: The rest of the Romanised Iberian peninsula , eventually gained the status of "Citizens of Rome". Categorising Lusitanian culture generally, including the language, is proving difficult and contentious. Some believe it was essentially a pre-Celtic Iberian culture with substantial Celtic influences, while others argue that it was an essentially Celtic culture with strong indigenous pre-Celtic influences associated with

6624-583: The right hands of their captives, which they offered to the gods. The Lusitanian language was a Paleohispanic language that clearly belongs to the Indo-European family. The precise affiliation of the Lusitanian language inside the Indo-European family is still in debate: there are those who endorse that it is a para-Celtic language with an obvious Celticity to most of the lexicon, over many anthroponyms and toponyms. A second theory relates Lusitanian with

6716-457: The rivers Douro and Tagus , in most of today's Beira and Estremadura regions of central Portugal, and some areas of the Extremadura region (Spain). They were a tribal confederation, not a single political entity; each tribe had its own territory and was independent, and was formed by smaller clans . However, they had a cultural sense of unity and a common name for the tribes. Each tribe

6808-567: The service is charged per km. The present mayor is Vitor Manuel Pinheiro Pereira, elected by the Socialist Party . Covilhã is twinned with: Lusitanians The Lusitanians were an Indo-European -speaking people living in the far west of the Iberian Peninsula , in present-day central Portugal and Extremadura and Castilla y Leon of Spain . After its conquest by the Romans ,

6900-653: The similarly named chieftain). According to Livy , Lusitanian and Celtiberian cavalry performed raids in the north of Italy whenever the terrain was too rough for Hannibal's famed Numidian cavalry . Since 193 BC, the Lusitanians had been fighting the Romans in Hispania. In 150 BC, they were defeated by Praetor Servius Galba: springing a treacherous trap, he killed 9,000 Lusitanians and later sold 20,000 more as slaves in Gaul (modern France ). This massacre would not be forgotten by Viriathus , who three years later (147 BC) would become

6992-554: The south along the coast and then migrated inland along the Tagus and the Anas ( Guadiana River ) valleys. If there were more Lusitanian tribes, their names are unknown. The Lusitanians were considered by historians to be particularly adept at guerrilla warfare . The strongest amongst them were selected to defend the populace in mountainous sites. They used hooked javelins or saunions made of iron, and wielded swords and helmets like those of

7084-515: The star vault of the octagon. Their statues lie in full regalia, with clasped hands (expressing the good relations between Portugal and England) and heads resting on a pillow, under elaborately ornamented baldachins. The coats of arms of the houses of Aviz and Lancaster are on top of these baldachins, together with the insignia of the Order of the Garter . On the cover plate of the tomb are inscribed in repetition

7176-550: 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 to Guarda in May 2021 after serious funding issues due to the weakness of the Portuguese economy . A bus network – Transportes Urbanos da Covilhã – covers

7268-512: 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 the Portuguese Colonial War (1961–1974) and the generalized emigration phenomena of the 1960s to 1980s Portuguese society, its geographical location in

7360-589: 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 the Orquestra da Banda Filarmónica . At the university, there are student musical groups that reflect the academic environment and celebrate its traditions. They are called Tunas and each one has particular characteristics. Desertuna , Moçoilas Tuna and J’ B’ubi & To Kokuskopus perform throughout

7452-694: 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

7544-432: The year. This theatre, called Teatro Municipal da Covilhã, was closed from 2001 until 2021 when it was reopened in November. 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

7636-453: Was added in 1983 by UNESCO to its list of World Heritage sites. The convent stands apart from the town. The western façade, facing the large square with its equestrian statue of general Nuno Álvares Pereira , is divided in three by buttresses and huge pilasters: the Founder's Chapel ( Capelo do Fundador ), the side wall of an aisle and the projecting portal. On the right side of this façade are

7728-620: Was along the Douro River, while its eastern border passed through Salmantica and Caesarobriga to the Anas ( Guadiana ) river. Lusitanian mercenaries fought for Carthage between the years 218 and 201 BC, during the Second Punic War against Rome. Silius Italicus describes them as forming a combined with the Gallaeci and being led both by a commander named Viriathus (not to be confused with

7820-459: Was established in the city by the Marquis of Pombal in 1763, and Covilhã was granted city status on 20 October 1870 by king Luís 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 ". The Panasqueira mines in the municipality of Covilhã started production in 1898 and at

7912-409: Was granted foral in 1186 by king Sancho I of Portugal , who also built the castle walls. And, later, it was king Denis 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

8004-478: Was not Lusitanian). However, when the three returned to receive their reward from the Romans, the Consul Quintus Servilius Caepio ordered their execution, declaring, "Rome does not pay traitors". After the death of Viriathus, the Lusitanians kept fighting under the leadership of Tautalus , but gradually acquired Roman culture and language; the Lusitanian cities, in a manner similar to those of

8096-555: Was originally Celtic , Andevellicos . Endovelicus is compared with Welsh and Breton names, giving him the meaning of "Very Good God", the same epithet of the Irish god Dagda . Even the Romans worshiped him for his ability to protect. His cult eventually spread across the Iberian peninsula and beyond, to the rest of the Roman Empire and his cult was maintained until the fifth century; he

8188-529: Was ruled by its own tribal aristocracy and chief. Many members of the Lusitanian tribal aristocracy were warriors as happened in many other pre-Roman peoples of the Iron Age . Only when an external threat occurred did the different tribes politically unite, as happened at the time of the Roman conquest of their territory when Viriathus became the single leader of the Lusitanian tribes. Punicus , Caucenus and Caesarus were other important Lusitanian chiefs before

8280-476: Was succeeded by Huguet from 1402 to 1438. This architect, who was probably of Catalan descent, introduced the Flamboyant Gothic style. This is manifest in the main façade, the dome of the square chapter house , the Founder's Chapel, the basic structure of the Imperfect Chapels and the north and east naves of the main cloister. He raised the height of the nave to 32.46 m. By altering the proportions he made

8372-537: Was surrounded by a detachment of pursuing cavalry. The lone warrior pierced the horse of one of the riders with his spear, and with a blow of his sword cut off the Roman’s head, producing such terror among the others that they prudently retired under his arrogant and contemptuous gaze." In times of peace, they had a particular style of dancing, which required great agility and nimbleness of the legs and thighs. In times of war, they marched in time, until they were ready to charge

8464-419: Was the god of public health and safety. The goddess Ataegina was especially popular in the south; as the goddess of rebirth (spring), fertility, nature, and cure, she was identified with Proserpina during the Roman era. Lusitanian mythology was heavily influenced by or related to Celtic mythology . Also well attested in inscriptions are the names Bandua (one of the variants of Borvo ) often with

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