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'Aveiro' (pron. IPA []) is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 199.9 km² and a total population of 73,521 inhabitants, and 59,860 electors (2006).
The municipality is composed of 14 parishes, and is located in the District of Aveiro.
The present Mayor is Élio Manuel Delgado da Maia, elected by a coalition between the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Social Centre
The municipal holiday is May 12.

Contents

Parishes

City Information

Gallery

Sister cities

See also

External links

Parishes

★ Aradas

★ Cacia

★ Eirol

★ Eixo

★ Esgueira

★ Glória

★ Nariz

★ Nossa Senhora de Fátima

★ Oliveirinha

★ Requeixo

★ Santa Joana

★ São Bernardo

★ São Jacinto

★ Vera Cruz

City Information

The seat of the municipality is the city of Aveiro, with about 50,000 inhabitants in the 5 urban parishes. Located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, Aveiro is an industrial city with an important seaport. The city of Aveiro is also the capital of the District of Aveiro.
Aveiro is known in Portugal for its traditional sweets, the ovos-moles and the trouxas de ovos, both made from eggs. It is sometimes called "The Portuguese Venice", because of its canals and boats that remind one of the Italian city of Venice, as the city faced similar problems when it tried to conquer the water.
The city dates back at least to the 10th century when it was known by its first Latin name of Aviarium, literally, "a gathering place or preserve of birds". The Moors invaded and then held it until the 11th century, after which it became popular with Portuguese royalty. In the winter of 1575 a terrible storm closed the entrance to its port, ending a thriving trade in metals and tiles. The same storm also created a reef barrier at the Atlantic Ocean.
The city is also famous for its production of salt and for its seaweed harvest, which is used for fertiliser in the area.
The famous explorer João Alfonso was also born in Aveiro. He was the first European to visit the region of Benin in Nigeria and named the river located there, Rio Fermoso. He helped to build a fort in Mina: he never came back to Portugal. He died in the region and is credited for bringing to Lisbon the first pepper that ever came out of those parts. He was also credited as one of the discoverers of the Newfoundland fisheries. [1]
The city is also famous for the Convento de Jesus (now known as the City Museum "Santa Joana"), built in the 15th century, which contains the tomb of the daughter of Alfonso V, St. Joana, who died in 1490. The presence of this royal personage, beatified in 1673, proved to be of great benefit when she bequeathed her valuable estate to the convent. In the 17th and 18th centuries the convent housed a school of embroidery, which produced many of the sumptuous pieces kept in the museum.
Aveiro hosted 3 games of the 2004 European Football Championship.
The University of Aveiro was created in 1973 and is considered one of the most dynamic and innovative universities of Portugal, attracting thousands of students to the city.
The University has about 430 professors (with Ph.D. degree), 11,000 undergraduate students and 1,300 post-graduate students.

Gallery

Sister cities

Aveiro's sister cities are:

★ - Viseu, Portugal

★ - Viana do Castelo, Portugal, since 1910

★ - Belém, Brazil, since 1970

★ - Pelotas, Brazil, since 1970

★ - Ōita, Japan, since 1978

★ - Bourges, France, since 1989

★ - Inhambane, Mozambique, since 1989

★ - Arcachon, France, since 1989

★ - Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain, since 1989

★ - Forlì, Italy, since 1990

★ - Santa Cruz, Cape Verde, since 1993

★ - Pemba, Mozambique, since 1995

★ - Cubatão, Brazil, since 1997

See also

★ Centro, Portugal

★ Duchy of Aveiro

★ District of Aveiro

★ Mário Sacramento

External links

★ Video about Aveiro and its University

★ Portal of Aveiro

★ Town Hall official website

★ University of Aveiro

★ Portal Ovos Moles

★ Photos from Aveiro