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Elvas
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>Elvas lies on a hill 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northwest of the <a href="/facts/Guadiana/tGgNRql5">Guadiana</a> river. The <a href="/facts/Amoreira_Aqueduct/EdsMV2py">Amoreira Aqueduct</a>, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long, supplies the city with clean water; it was begun early in the 15th century and completed in 1622. For some distance it includes four tiers of superimposed arches, with a total height of 40 metres (130 ft).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>The city was wrested from the Moors by <a href="/facts/Afonso_I_of_Portugal/QsXpyuf9">Afonso I of Portugal</a> in 1166 but was temporarily recaptured before its final occupation by the Portuguese in 1226. In 1570 it became an <a href="/facts/Episcopal_see/8QWylVcN">episcopal see</a>, the <a href="/facts/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Elvas/S9wlBkjp">Roman Catholic Diocese of Elvas</a>, until 1818. The late <a href="/facts/Gothic_architecture/uhvWpQ2r">Gothic</a> <a href="/facts/Our_Lady_of_the_Assumption_Cathedral%2c_Elvas/ywzSXmH0">Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral</a>, which has many traces of <a href="/facts/Moorish/VBylj2uj">Moorish</a> influence in its architecture, dates from the reign of <a href="/facts/Manuel_I_of_Portugal/eTpIXP4N">Manuel I of Portugal</a> (1495–1521).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>It was defended by seven bastions and the two forts of Santa Luzia and the <a href="/facts/Nossa_Senhora_da_Gra%25C3%25A7a_Fort/MINAv20C">Nossa Senhora da Graça Fort</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> From 1642 it was the chief frontier fortress south of the <a href="/facts/Tagus/CPNWdzQx">Tagus</a>, which withstood sieges by the Spanish in 1659, 1711, and 1801.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Elvas was the site of the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_the_Lines_of_Elvas/LsGnwFfx">Battle of the Lines of Elvas</a> in 1659, during which the garrison and citizens of the city assisted in the rout of a Spanish Army. The Napoleonic French under <a href="/facts/Jean-Andoche_Junot/rjJ9Hv0q">Marshal Junot</a> took it in March 1808 during the <a href="/facts/Peninsular_War/7llD0qku">Peninsular War</a>, but evacuated it in August after the conclusion of the <a href="/facts/Convention_of_Sintra/lcFICG1C">Convention of Sintra</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> The fortress of <a href="/facts/Campo_Maior%2c_Portugal/MYtuNKYn">Campo Maior</a> 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the northeast is known for its <a href="/facts/Peninsular_War/7llD0qku">Napoleonic era</a> siege by the French and relief by the British under <a href="/facts/William_Carr_Beresford%2c_1st_Viscount_Beresford/DnkpwGlT">Marshal Beresford</a> in 1811, an exploit commemorated in a ballad by Sir <a href="/facts/Walter_Scott/cgDlc0aR">Walter Scott</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="unesco-site">UNESCO site</h2> <p>The Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications were added to the list of <a href="/facts/World_Heritage_Site/6AbWWKV4">UNESCO World Heritage Sites</a> in 2012.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>The site, extensively fortified from the 17th to 19th centuries, represents the largest bulwarked dry ditch system in the world. Within its walls, the town contains <a href="/facts/Barracks/cQ38P446">barracks</a> and other military buildings as well as <a href="/facts/Church_(building)/gtw3YSsd">churches</a> and <a href="/facts/Monastery/t8MRXpsM">monasteries</a>. While Elvas contains remains dating back to the 10th century, its fortification began during the <a href="/facts/Portuguese_Restoration_War/PvRYMCW3">Portuguese Restoration War</a>. The fortifications played a major role in the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_the_Lines_of_Elvas/LsGnwFfx">Battle of the Lines of Elvas</a> in 1659. The fortifications were designed by <a href="/facts/Dutch_people/QhHtJ2WK">Dutch</a> <a href="/facts/Jesuit/n0PeYBB8">Jesuit</a> Padre João Piscásio Cosmander and represent the best surviving example of the Dutch school of fortifications anywhere. The site consists the following: </p> <ol><li><a href="/facts/Amoreira_Aqueduct/EdsMV2py">Amoreira Aqueduct</a>, built to withstand long sieges.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Historic_Centre_of_Elvas/3ew9gp2c">Historic Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Fort_Santa_Luzia/AaMaT6QK">Fort of Santa Luzia</a> and the covered way</li> <li><a href="/facts/Nossa_Senhora_da_Gra%25C3%25A7a_Fort/MINAv20C">Nossa Senhora da Graça Fort</a></li> <li>Fortlet of São Mamede</li> <li>Fortlet of São Pedro [commons]</li> <li>Fortlet of São Domingos</li></ol> <h2 id="climate">Climate</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th colspan="14">Climate data for Elvas, 1981-2010 normals and extremes</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">Month</th><th scope="col">Jan</th><th scope="col">Feb</th><th scope="col">Mar</th><th scope="col">Apr</th><th scope="col">May</th><th scope="col">Jun</th><th scope="col">Jul</th><th scope="col">Aug</th><th scope="col">Sep</th><th scope="col">Oct</th><th scope="col">Nov</th><th scope="col">Dec</th><th scope="col">Year</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">Record high °C (°F)</th><td>22.6(72.7)</td><td>24.0(75.2)</td><td>30.8(87.4)</td><td>35.3(95.5)</td><td>38.5(101.3)</td><td>42.6(108.7)</td><td>44.8(112.6)</td><td>44.9(112.8)</td><td>43.5(110.3)</td><td>36.1(97.0)</td><td>29.2(84.6)</td><td>22.0(71.6)</td><td>44.9(112.8)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean daily maximum °C (°F)</th><td>13.6(56.5)</td><td>15.5(59.9)</td><td>19.2(66.6)</td><td>20.7(69.3)</td><td>24.8(76.6)</td><td>30.5(86.9)</td><td>34.1(93.4)</td><td>33.9(93.0)</td><td>29.9(85.8)</td><td>23.5(74.3)</td><td>17.8(64.0)</td><td>14.1(57.4)</td><td>23.1(73.6)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Daily mean °C (°F)</th><td>8.7(47.7)</td><td>10.1(50.2)</td><td>13.1(55.6)</td><td>14.6(58.3)</td><td>18.0(64.4)</td><td>22.8(73.0)</td><td>25.5(77.9)</td><td>25.5(77.9)</td><td>22.6(72.7)</td><td>17.8(64.0)</td><td>12.9(55.2)</td><td>9.8(49.6)</td><td>16.8(62.2)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean daily minimum °C (°F)</th><td>3.8(38.8)</td><td>4.8(40.6)</td><td>7.0(44.6)</td><td>8.6(47.5)</td><td>11.3(52.3)</td><td>15.0(59.0)</td><td>16.9(62.4)</td><td>17.1(62.8)</td><td>15.3(59.5)</td><td>12.1(53.8)</td><td>8.0(46.4)</td><td>5.5(41.9)</td><td>10.5(50.8)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Record low °C (°F)</th><td>−7.0(19.4)</td><td>−5.0(23.0)</td><td>−2.0(28.4)</td><td>−1.5(29.3)</td><td>1.5(34.7)</td><td>6.0(42.8)</td><td>9.7(49.5)</td><td>8.0(46.4)</td><td>4.0(39.2)</td><td>−1.0(30.2)</td><td>−4.5(23.9)</td><td>−5.5(22.1)</td><td>−7.0(19.4)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Average rainfall mm (inches)</th><td>60.6(2.39)</td><td>50.0(1.97)</td><td>40.0(1.57)</td><td>51.7(2.04)</td><td>42.1(1.66)</td><td>20.6(0.81)</td><td>3.2(0.13)</td><td>4.0(0.16)</td><td>26.7(1.05)</td><td>71.7(2.82)</td><td>81.9(3.22)</td><td>89.6(3.53)</td><td>542.1(21.35)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)</th><td>10.4</td><td>9.0</td><td>7.4</td><td>9.5</td><td>7.4</td><td>3.6</td><td>0.7</td><td>1.0</td><td>4.4</td><td>11.2</td><td>12.3</td><td>13.5</td><td>90.4</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean monthly <a href="/facts/Sunshine_duration/wVBusklh">sunshine hours</a></th><td>154.3</td><td>161.8</td><td>212.1</td><td>224.6</td><td>275.4</td><td>316.2</td><td>366.6</td><td>339.2</td><td>252.2</td><td>198.6</td><td>164.8</td><td>129.4</td><td>2,795.2</td></tr><tr><td colspan="14">Source: <a href="/facts/Instituto_Portugu%25C3%25AAs_do_Mar_e_da_Atmosfera/FVuRVhVH">Instituto de Meteorologia</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <table><tbody><tr><th colspan="14">Climate data for Vila Fernando, 1971-2000 normals and extremes, elevation: 360 m (1,180 ft)</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">Month</th><th scope="col">Jan</th><th scope="col">Feb</th><th scope="col">Mar</th><th scope="col">Apr</th><th scope="col">May</th><th scope="col">Jun</th><th scope="col">Jul</th><th scope="col">Aug</th><th scope="col">Sep</th><th scope="col">Oct</th><th scope="col">Nov</th><th scope="col">Dec</th><th scope="col">Year</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">Record high °C (°F)</th><td>20.0(68.0)</td><td>22.6(72.7)</td><td>27.5(81.5)</td><td>31.0(87.8)</td><td>34.5(94.1)</td><td>42.0(107.6)</td><td>42.5(108.5)</td><td>40.6(105.1)</td><td>41.2(106.2)</td><td>33.6(92.5)</td><td>26.5(79.7)</td><td>22.5(72.5)</td><td>42.5(108.5)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean daily maximum °C (°F)</th><td>12.2(54.0)</td><td>13.8(56.8)</td><td>16.7(62.1)</td><td>18.3(64.9)</td><td>22.3(72.1)</td><td>27.8(82.0)</td><td>32.0(89.6)</td><td>31.8(89.2)</td><td>28.1(82.6)</td><td>21.7(71.1)</td><td>16.3(61.3)</td><td>13.1(55.6)</td><td>21.2(70.1)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Daily mean °C (°F)</th><td>8.4(47.1)</td><td>9.7(49.5)</td><td>11.7(53.1)</td><td>13.0(55.4)</td><td>16.2(61.2)</td><td>20.6(69.1)</td><td>23.9(75.0)</td><td>23.6(74.5)</td><td>21.4(70.5)</td><td>16.6(61.9)</td><td>12.2(54.0)</td><td>9.6(49.3)</td><td>15.6(60.0)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean daily minimum °C (°F)</th><td>4.7(40.5)</td><td>5.6(42.1)</td><td>6.7(44.1)</td><td>7.7(45.9)</td><td>10.1(50.2)</td><td>13.3(55.9)</td><td>15.7(60.3)</td><td>15.5(59.9)</td><td>14.6(58.3)</td><td>11.5(52.7)</td><td>8.1(46.6)</td><td>6.0(42.8)</td><td>10.0(49.9)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Record low °C (°F)</th><td>−5.0(23.0)</td><td>−5.0(23.0)</td><td>−1.0(30.2)</td><td>−1.0(30.2)</td><td>2.0(35.6)</td><td>6.0(42.8)</td><td>9.0(48.2)</td><td>8.0(46.4)</td><td>4.0(39.2)</td><td>1.5(34.7)</td><td>−0.5(31.1)</td><td>−3.0(26.6)</td><td>−5.0(23.0)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Average rainfall mm (inches)</th><td>64.3(2.53)</td><td>54.6(2.15)</td><td>41.7(1.64)</td><td>54.0(2.13)</td><td>39.2(1.54)</td><td>23.2(0.91)</td><td>7.6(0.30)</td><td>4.5(0.18)</td><td>23.8(0.94)</td><td>58.6(2.31)</td><td>72.9(2.87)</td><td>88.2(3.47)</td><td>532.6(20.97)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)</th><td>11.0</td><td>9.2</td><td>7.6</td><td>9.1</td><td>7.1</td><td>4.0</td><td>1.5</td><td>1.0</td><td>3.9</td><td>8.2</td><td>9.3</td><td>10.1</td><td>82</td></tr><tr><td colspan="14">Source: <a href="/facts/Instituto_Portugu%25C3%25AAs_do_Mar_e_da_Atmosfera/FVuRVhVH">Instituto de Meteorologia</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="civil-parishes">Civil parishes</h2> <p>Administratively, the municipality is divided in seven civil parishes (<i><a href="/facts/Freguesia_(Portugal)/Kmtmg4bE">freguesias</a></i>):<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <ul><li>Assunção, Ajuda, Salvador e Santo Ildefonso</li> <li>Barbacena e Vila Fernando</li> <li>Caia, São Pedro e Alcáçova</li> <li>Santa Eulália</li> <li>São Brás e São Lourenço</li> <li>São Vicente e Ventosa</li> <li>Terrugem e Vila Boim</li></ul> <h2 id="notable-people">Notable people</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Manuel_Rodrigues_Coelho/pHXXrBk0">Manuel Rodrigues Coelho</a> (ca. 1555 – 1635) a Portuguese organist and composer.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jo%25C3%25A3o_de_Fontes_Pereira_de_Melo/nwBILwBz">João de Fontes Pereira de Melo</a> (1780–1856) a politician, a general and twice <a href="/facts/List_of_colonial_governors_of_Cape_Verde/KUL7ERCg">colonial governor of Cape Verde</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jos%25C3%25A9_Travassos_Valdez%2c_1st_Count_of_Bonfim/cMYNRo7z">José Travassos Valdez, 1st Count of Bonfim</a> (1787–1862) a Portuguese soldier and statesman.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Fortunato_Jos%25C3%25A9_Barreiros/kbgtkJyW">Fortunato José Barreiros</a> (1797–1885) a <a href="/facts/List_of_colonial_governors_of_Cape_Verde/KUL7ERCg">colonial governor of Cape Verde</a> and military architect.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Adelaide_Cabete/V9rPRVk0">Adelaide Cabete</a> (1867–1935) a Portuguese feminist and republican.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Virg%25C3%25ADnia_Quaresma/Rb6EkD9G">Virgínia Quaresma</a> (1882–1973) an early radical, feminist, lesbian journalist</li> <li><a href="/facts/Sofia_Pomba_Guerra/bdvYJ4aH">Sofia Pomba Guerra</a> (1906–1976) a feminist, opponent of the Estado Novo government in Portugal and an activist in the anti-colonial movements of Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jos%25C3%25A9_Ant%25C3%25B3nio_Rond%25C3%25A3o_Almeida/fYLRtcrj">José António Rondão Almeida</a> (born 1945) a Portuguese politician & Mayor of Elvas</li> <li><a href="/facts/Toni_Vidigal/8MKlq5lN">Toni Vidigal</a> (born 1975), <a href="/facts/Jorge_Vidigal/2Y0oGQ6M">Jorge Vidigal</a> (born 1978) & <a href="/facts/Andr%25C3%25A9_Vidigal/duNHVkE0">André Vidigal</a> (born 1998) Angolan football brothers</li> <li><a href="/facts/Raquel_Guerra/JXtgPJ4n">Raquel Guerra</a> (born 1985) a Portuguese singer and actress.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Henrique_Sereno/Awqavt0k">Henrique Sereno</a> (born 1985) a Portuguese former footballer with 236 club caps</li></ul> <h2 id="sister-cities">Sister cities</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Spain/bIyrB8EY"></a> <a href="/facts/Badajoz/Dm9DRV2G">Badajoz</a>, <a href="/facts/Extremadura/RMkwR0bW">Extremadura</a>, Spain</li> <li><a href="/facts/Olivenza/hXk1Q90N">Olivença</a>, Disputed</li> <li><a href="/facts/Portugal/lYzwDQ63"></a> <a href="/facts/Campo_Maior%2c_Portugal/MYtuNKYn">Campo Maior</a>, <a href="/facts/Alentejo/73bIEXjD">Alentejo</a>, Portugal</li></ul> <ul> <li>Portugal portal</li></ul> <ul><li> This article incorporates text from a publication now in the <a href="/facts/Public_domain/YWKMDKw4">public domain</a>: <a href="/facts/Hugh_Chisholm/2vWblUBe">Chisholm, Hugh</a>, ed. (1911). "Elvas". <i><a href="/facts/Encyclop%25C3%25A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition/mPElbCRY">Encyclopædia Britannica</a></i>. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 300–301.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elvas. <ul><li><a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1367/">UNESCO, Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications</a></li></ul> Wikivoyage has a travel guide for <i>Elvas</i>. <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Instituto Nacional de Estatística <a href="http://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xlang=en&xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0005889&contexto=pi&selTab=tab0" target="_blank">http://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xlang=en&xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0005889&contexto=pi&selTab=tab0</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país". Archived from the original on 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2018-11-05. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181105172426/http://www.dgterritorio.pt/cartografia_e_geodesia/cartografia/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal_caop_/caop__download_/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal___versao_2017__em_vigor_/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20181105172426/http://www.dgterritorio.pt/cartografia_e_geodesia/cartografia/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal_caop_/caop__download_/carta_administrativa_oficial_de_portugal___versao_2017__em_vigor_/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>UMA POPULAÇÃO QUE SE URBANIZA, Uma avaliação recente – Cidades, 2004 Archived October 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Nuno Pires Soares, Instituto Geográfico Português (Geographic Institute of Portugal) <a href="http://dev.igeo.pt/atlas/Cap2/Cap2d_2.html" target="_blank">http://dev.igeo.pt/atlas/Cap2/Cap2d_2.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Chisholm 1911, p. 300. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elvas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 300–301. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Chisholm 1911, p. 300. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elvas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 300–301. <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Chisholm 1911, p. 300. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elvas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 300–301. <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Chisholm 1911, p. 301. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elvas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 300–301. <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Chisholm 1911, p. 301. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elvas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 300–301. <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Chisholm 1911, p. 300. - Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elvas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 300–301. <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications". <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1367/" target="_blank">https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1367/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Monthly Averages for Elvas (1971–2000)" (PDF). IPMA. <a href="http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_ELVAS.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_ELVAS.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"Monthly Averages for Vila Fernando (1971–2000)" (PDF). IPMA. <a href="http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_VILA_FERNANDO.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_VILA_FERNANDO.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 44" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 July 2014. <a href="/wiki/Di%C3%A1rio_da_Rep%C3%BAblica" target="_blank">/wiki/Di%C3%A1rio_da_Rep%C3%BAblica</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Raquel Guerra, IMDb Database retrieved 16 July 2021. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1807554/" target="_blank">https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1807554/</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>