Torres Vedras

Visitar: Heritage | Nature | Beaches

The municipality of Torres Vedras is in the Western Region, for this passed communities of farmers, hunters, metallurgical, later occupied by Greeks and Romans. The original name of this place comes from Turres Veteras due to old towers of its fortification, built in the Roman period. Before D. Afonso Henriques has conquered Torres Vedras, until 1147, was on Islamic rule. During the reign of Sancho I (1185-1211), the village had knowledge of the first municipal organization. However, only 15 August 1250, D. Afonso III, nicknamed bolognese, donated Torres Vedras to his men and vassals, having Foral letter. In the late thirteenth century, with the great development, the village receives the king farmer’s letter fair in 1293.

Early on, Torres Vedras was a place of deployment and influence of various monasteries, such as Santa Cruz in Coimbra, Santa Maria de Alcobaça and Cells, monasteries as São Vicente de Fora and Santa Maria de Oia and military orders Hospital and Santiago. Also it is founded two convents of Augustinian Footwear – Our Lady of the Assumption of Penafirme in 1226, and Our Lady of Grace Torres Vedras, in 1366 and later joined the convent of the Franciscan friars of Varatojo in 1470, and Our lady of the Angels, founded by the Infanta Dona Maria, lady of Torres Vedras, for Arrábidos friars in 1570.

In 1414, he met the Council Régio John I, in order to conquer Ceuta, from Torres Vedras to the East, torrienses adventurers, who over the centuries, found new worlds, being among them, Frei Aleixo Meneses, Prior of the convent of Our Lady of Grace, from 1588 to 1590, and later Archbishop of Goa and Braga and governor of India.

On June 1, 1510, D. Manuel gave the Torres Vedras the Foral New and John III of the village head region, a status that only exert from 1619, because of opposition from Alenquer, hitherto head district.

The village of Torres Vedras had a vital position in the Napoleonic invasions, from 1809, would be the capital defense stronghold: the Lines of Torres Vedras. Over the years and with the urban development, the village and the municipality of Torres Vedras become a tourist destination, both for its military history, as its natural resources and its traditions.

West Region Destinations

AlcobaçaAlenquerArruda dos VinhosBombarralCadavalCaldas da RainhaLourinhãNazaréÓbidosPenicheSobral de Monte AgraçoTorres Vedras