Santa Maria da Feira

Santa Maria da Feira (pron. IPA: ['sɐ̃tɐ mɐ'ɾiɐ dɐ 'fɐiɾɐ]) is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 215.1 km² and a total population of 140,494 inhabitants, and 107,458 electors.

The municipality is composed of 31 parishes, and is located in the District of Aveiro.

The present Mayor is Alfredo de Oliveira Henriques, elected by the (Social Democratic Party.

The municipal holiday is January 20. It's the day when the whole municipality celebrates the Fogaceiras. The Fogaceiras is a special local holiday. During the Middle Ages, the lands of Santa Maria (as it was known back then) were infested by the dark plague. To get rid of this calamity, the locals offered a sugared bread, called fogaça, to the patron saint Saint Sebastien. The Fogaceiras have been celebrated for five hundred years, since the eradication of the dark plague.

1 Parishes
2 Economy
3 Gallery
4 External links

[edit] Parishes

[edit] Economy

Santa Maria da Feira is a heavily industrialized municipality and is famous for its several cork transforming and shoes factories. The seat of the municipality is Feira, famous for its medieval castle which was the residence of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, for a short period of time. The castle, located in the top of a hill, was of a considerate strategic importance during its time.

Every year, in summer, a medieval festival takes place in Santa Maria da Feira - Feira Medieval - during which the city goes back to the Middle Ages.

[edit] Gallery

Fogaça - typical sweet bread

Castle at Santa Maria da Feira

Medieval festival parade

[edit] External links

Portugal Portal

Municipalities of the District of Aveiro
Águeda \| Albergaria-a-Velha \| Anadia \| Arouca \| Aveiro \| Castelo de Paiva \| Espinho \| Estarreja \| Ílhavo \| Mealhada \| Murtosa Oliveira de Azeméis \| Oliveira do Bairro \| Ovar \| Santa Maria da Feira \| São João da Madeira \| Sever do Vouga \| Vagos \| Vale de Cambra