Cantanhede Municipality

Cantanhede
—  Municipality  —
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Portugal
Coordinates: 40°21′N 8°35′W / 40.35°N 8.583°W / 40.35; -8.583Coordinates: 40°21′N 8°35′W / 40.35°N 8.583°W / 40.35; -8.583
Country	Portugal
Region	Centro
Subregion	Baixo Mondego
District/A.R.	Coimbra
Government
– Mayor	João Moura (PSD)
Area
– Total	591.5 km2 (228.4 sq mi)
Population
– Total	38,026
– Density	64.3/km2 (166.5/sq mi)
Parishes (no.)	19
Municipal holiday
Website	www.cm-cantanhede.pt

Cantanhede (Portuguese pronunciation: [kɐ̃tɐˈɲeð(ɨ)]) is a city and municipality in the Coimbra District, in the Centro Region, Portugal. It has a population of 17,920 in the city itself, and a total population of 38,026 in the entire municipality.^[1]

Location

Cantanhede is located in the Coimbra District, in the Baixo Mondego subregion of the Centro Region, halfway between the cities of Coimbra and Aveiro, in Portugal. This small town is located just 25 km from the very popular beaches of Mira and Tocha on the Atlantic coast.

History

The name "Cantanhede" comes from the Celtic cant, which means "great stone", and refers to the quarries in the region. It was the original Cantonieti, mentioned in the documentation of the centuries 11th, 12th and 13th also with the spellings Cantoniedi, Cantonidi and Cantonetu. Its first historical references dating back to 1087, date on which Sisnando Davides, governor of Coimbra, provided the village with fortification and promoted its repopulation. With a well-preserved urban area elevated to city (cidade) status by the Lei n.º 69/91, de 16 de Agosto in August 1991, and being home to a number of large and elegant houses, dating back to the 19th century, Cantanhede was granted foral in 1514 by the king Manuel I of Portugal.^[1]

Economy

Traditionally a major agriculture center, Cantanhede is at the heart of the Bairrada DOC which produces famed wines. The town is home to Biocant Park^[2], a biotechnology park, aimed to create value in business initiatives by developing and applying advanced life sciences knowledge and technology. This park is attracting biosciences companies to Cantanhede, and has the scientific background of the University of Coimbra and Aveiro University, both associated entities of the project. Cantanhede was growing fast, and the inauguration of the C.C. Rossio (local shopping center) helped to boost the area's economy. EXPOFACIC - Feira Agrícola, Comercial e Industrial de Cantanhede, a trade fair, agricultural show and festival, is a major event in the region and is organized every year in July, attracting thousands of visitors to Cantanhede.

Parishes

The parishes (freguesias) of the municipality (concelho).

• Ançã
• Bolho
• Corticeiro de Cima
• Cadima
• Camarneira
• Cantanhede
• Cordinhã
• Covões
• Febres
• Murtede
• Ourentã
• Outil
• Pocariça
• Portunhos
• São Caetano
• Sanguinheira
• Sepins
• Tocha
• Vilamar

Famous people

• Pedro Teixeira (born in Cantanhede, unknown date, died 1640), a Portuguese explorer commissioned by the Portuguese governor of Maranhão, in current-day Brazil, to explore the Amazon in 1637.
• António Luís de Meneses, first Marquis of Marialva and third Count of Cantanhede (born December 13, 1603 - died in Cantanhede, May 19, 1675) was a notable Portuguese general.
• Luís Filipe (born June 14, 1979 in Cantanhede), a Portuguese footballer.
• José de Carvalho Rodrigues Pereira (born on January 20, 1929 in Cantanhede - died in Lisbon, November 28, 1984) was an eminent Portuguese lawyer for Petrogal.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} (Portuguese) O concelho de Cantanhede, Freguesia de Covões
2. ^ Biocant Park, biocantpark.com

External links

• European People's Festival 2009.07.24 -> 08.01.
• Cantanhede Municipality
• Photos from Cantanhede

Typical meal in Cantanhede featuring cheese, enchidos and local sparkling wine.