Amadora

Amadora
—  Municipality  —
Aventura Park, Amadora.
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Portugal
Coordinates: 38°44′N 9°14′W
Country	Portugal
Region	Lisbon
Subregion	Greater Lisbon
District/A.R.	Lisbon
Government
• Mayor	Joaquim Raposo (PS)
Area
• Total	23.8 km2 (9.2 sq mi)
Population
• Total	176,239
• Density	7,405/km2 (19,180/sq mi)
Parishes (no.)	11
Municipal holiday	September 11
Website	http://www.cm-amadora.pt

Amadora (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐmɐˈðoɾɐ]) is a city and a municipality in Portugal, in the northwest of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The city and municipality population is 175,872 in eleven freguesias (parishes) and with an area of 23.77 km², it is the most densely populated municipality of Portugal.

Amadora is one of the largest cities in Portugal by population. It forms a conurbation with the Portuguese capital Lisbon, and both cities share the same subway, bus and train network. It is essential a residential city, and the landscape is dominated by large apartment blocks, commercial parks and industrial areas. Amadora also has relevant immigrant communities, mostly from Angola, Cape Verde and Brazil.

Every year, Amadora city organizes the Amadora International Comics Festival[1].

History

The train central station.

Initially called Porcalhota, for being a Majorat of the daughter of one man surnamed Porcalho who was called for being a female Porcalhota. In 1907, at the request of the population, a decree by the King Carlos, determines that the posts of Porcalhota, Amadora and Venteira will have the common name of Amadora.

The municipality was formed on September 11, 1979, when it ceased being a parish of Oeiras Municipality. It was incorporated as a city since that date.

The former Sorefame railway rolling stock factory was located in Amadora, but was closed in 2004. Most of the carriages for Portuguese Railways built during the second half of the 20th century were constructed here.

About the city flag and coat of arms

Its flag is a typical gyronny of green over white. It includes a 5-towered mural crown, and a scroll that reads "CIDADE DA AMADORA". The shield is green, has in chef a yellowish airplane propeller and a silver windsock, then an aqueduct and below a pomegranate tree also in that yellowish colour of the propeller, with fruits with something red within.

At the present time Amadora does not have any airfield. However, in the 1920s a small airfield (the first in Portugal) was located here. The first air-travel from Portugal to Brazil had its departure from Amadora. The Captain of the airplane was Adm. Gago Coutinho, a well known Portuguese celebrity. This justifies the airplane propeller and a silver windsock on the Amadora's flag.

The arches represent the famous Free Waters Aqueduct (Aqueduto das Águas Livres), which brings water from Sintra hills to Lisbon, stretching some 30 km through these three municipalities. It was finished in the 1770s and includes the largest masonry only arch ever built, located in Campolide — local coat of arms also displays the aqueduct (like others along its way).

The tree is a pomegranate tree, one of the Amadora symbols. One possible explanation is:

• "Pomegranate" = "Romã" in Portuguese.
• "Romã", read backwards is "amor" ("love" in Portuguese).
• "Amadora" means "she-lover", the female that loves ("amadora" is a female noun. In Portuguese, a city usually is a female noun) and also "female amateur".
• "Amadora"'s name also comes from a well known and very kind lady called Dora who was an Ama (Baby-Sitter).

Transport

Amadora's public transport network is extremely far-reaching and reliable, being fully integrated with the transportation network of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. It has 2 metro stations, the commuter Sintra train line with 3 stations, 2 bus services (Vimeca and Carris) and 4 motorways around the city (2ª Circular, CRIL, CREL and IC-16).

Amadora transport infrastructure.

Economy

Despite being essentially a residential city, Amadora has commercial zones, industries and headquarters of international companies operating in Portugal.

As commercial zones, it has IKEA, Deacathlon, Continente and Dolce Vita Tejo (one of the biggest shopping malls in Europe). Siemens and Roche are examples of international companies based in Amadora.

Social issues

Although major rehabilitation plans have been started, Amadora is still regarded as a city with a crime rate higher than the national average. The neighborhood of Cova da Moura, in Amadora, is an incredible example of what one might call lateral citizenship. Starting during the 1970s and 1980s, in less than 30 years, over 10,000 men and women, mostly from the Cape Verde (but also from the North of Portugal and Angola), built an illegal town inside the city. Drug dealing and gangs, as well as unemployment and poverty, are responsible for most of the fear that Cova da Moura inspires to any average citizen. The place is, however, home to dozens of hairdressers that operate in Cova da Moura and are responsible for some of the most creative hair sculptures one can see everywhere in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, and is a centre of both rap music and Hip Hop Tuga suburban culture.

Gallery

• 

  Apartment Buildings in Alfragide.

• 

  A typical street in Amadora.

Parishes

• Alfornelos
• Alfragide
• Brandoa
• Buraca
• Damaia
• Falagueira
• Mina
• Reboleira
• São Brás
• Venda Nova
• Venteira

External links

• Câmara Municipal da Amadora - official municipal Web site
• Amadora International Comics Festival - official festival Web site
• Photos from AMADORA
• Latest photos and urban developments of Amadora.