Santa Catarina (Caldas da Rainha)
Template: Infobox city in Portugal / Maintenance / card is empty
Template: Infobox city in Portugal / Maintenance / Height is empty Template: Infobox city in Portugal / Maintenance / Postal Code is empty Template: Infobox city in Portugal / Maintenance / mayor is empty
Template: Infobox city in Portugal / maintenance / road is empty
Template: Infobox city in Portugal / maintenance / management location is empty Template: Infobox city in Portugal / Maintenance / Web page is blank
Santa Catarina da Rainha is located in the subregion Oeste in the historical province of Estremadura a Portuguese town ( Vila ) in the district of Caldas. It has an area of 20 km ² and 3026 inhabitants (as at 30 June 2011). The municipality is 16 km from Caldas da Rainha and 14 km from Alcobaça away, to whose circle it is adjacent. The community consists of 20 other villages and hamlets. It belonged to one of the 13 cities of Couto de Alcobaça to the secular dominion of the Abbey of Alcobaça, the 1153 first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques ( 1109-1185 ), the abbot of the French Cistercian monastery of Clairvaux, Bernard of Clairvaux had given, an approximately 500 km ² located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Serra dos Candeeiros area. To Santa Catarina belonged to the dissolution of the abbey in 1834, and the neighboring municipality Carvalhal Benfeito with an area of 14.08 km ², so that the former city was 34.02 km ². 1801, the city had 1210 inhabitants. The name of the town goes back to Catarina zurückt of Alexandria is said to have suffered late 3rd or early 4th century under the Emperor Maximian martyred.
Breakfast time
There are signs of an early settlement already in the Iron Age. Above the village are located on a mountain in 230 m height the remains of earlier Celtic fortifications, as in the municipality, other traces of Celtic settlements have been found. The fortifications were in service in 590 BC led Celtic wars on the Iberian Peninsula. As a result of 155-138 BC conducted Lusitanian War ( also referred to as the Spanish War ), in which the Ibero - Celtic population of this part of the Iberian Peninsula, which Lusitanen, sat against Roman rule for defense, were the fortifications destroyed by the Romans 138-136 BC. From the period of Moorish occupation ( 711 to about 1143 ), no traces are found.
New colonization by the abbey of Alcobaça
It is believed that Santa Catarina was named in connection with the resettlement by the monks of the abbey of Alcobaça. Catherine of Alexandria was a very popular saint, especially in the Middle Ages. The monks after they had taken them in 1153 by the Portuguese king bestowed area begun to reclaim agricultural by the seriously affected shank under the Reconquista region. They had in the region of Santa Catarina already Meier two courtyards. With a settlement letter ( Carta de Povoamente ) from February 4, 1307 they allowed a total of 31 settlers with their families to settle in the area between the Meier farms and to farm the land for the abbey. According to this letter the settlers were left to the areas for own operation after a period of six years, but the settlers remained of the abbey tribute. They had to respect the boundaries of the monastic Meirhöfe as they remained closed all wine regions. Already in 1333 received by the abbey of Santa Catarina the charter, which was the basis for urban development. In the 14th and 15th century, the city adopted because of its strategic location on a road that led to Santarém, as one of the centers of the Abbey for their agricultural production and exploitation of their recovery.
Changes to the city
As part of the general restructuring of the city, the King Manuel I (1469-1521) carried out, also received 1518 Santa Catarina, a new city statute that state their self- management and a lower jurisdiction. The to pay tribute to the abbey and its general jurisdiction, however, remained unaffected. For their characters still preserved pillory, the Pelourinho was erected (Portuguese for poor sinners column) as in other cities of Couto de Alcobaça. The pillory was revised in the 17th or 18th century. He stands in front of the church of the patron saint of Santa Catarina. The church dates back to a building from the 16th century, probably stood there before a church or chapel from the early days of the monastic rule. The church was several times so probably also in the earthquake of 1755 ( under the name Lisbon earthquake in the history received ) destroyed and now only contains components from an earlier period, such as the tower and how the 17th/18th. Century large altar plant whose elaborate gold work give witness to the former wealth of the city. Of the city buildings of the 16th century with the Casa Nobre still get one. About the input of a large coat of arms emblazoned on the corner is still a sundial from this period exist. It is reported that the city of Santa Catarina have the Abbey asked two companies of soldiers and police forces with 300 Manpower available.
Modern and contemporary times
With the 1834 government-mandated closure of the monasteries in Portugal, the rule of the abbey was completed in the Couto. From Santa Catarina parted the community part Carvalhal Benfeito and joined the circle of Caldas da Rainha. Santa Catarina, the city lost rights and the circle Alcobaça was attached, but finally in 1898 came to the district of Caldas da Rainha. In 1991, she again received city rights as Vila. Santa Catarina had never lost the small town feel and is now home to a lively economy of trade and production, among others, household goods (especially knives), furnishings and stone works, in addition to agriculture, wine and fruit growing and cattle breeding.