Torres Novas is a Portuguesemunicipality in the district of Santarém, in the Médio Tejo of the Centro region. The population of the municipality was approximately 36,717, with the city of Torres Novas has about 15,000 inhabitants in an area that econompasses.
History
The earliest sign of human life in Portugal is the 400,000 year old skull discovered at the Cave of Aroeira in 2017. The territory of Torres Novas was settled as early as the Paelothic in areas situated along the margins of the karstic network of the River Almonda, such as the grottos in Buraca da Moura, Buraca da Oliveira and Lapa da Bugalheira. During the primordial period before Roman occupation, there were various villae that were populated in the region. Vila Cardílio, a Luso-Roman settlement was occupied in the first or second century A.D. Along with Avita, archaeologists discovered coloured mosaics, coins, sculptures and Latin inscriptions, where one was inscribed with felicitous remarks to the villa da torre, an expression associated with the plausible origin for the toponymy Torres Novas. Following the 12th century, the territory was known as Turris began to develop into its actual limits, with the expulsion of the Moors by forces loyal to 1148. The foundation of the municipality was attributed to the foral issued on 1 October 1190, by King Sancho. The castle which had, by that time, been in ruins was reconstructed by King Fernando, to halt Castilian forces during the Iberian wars. During the Middle Ages, the territory grew demographically and economically, receiving a Carta de Feira in 1263. The lands of Torres Novas passed into the possessions of Queen Isabel of Aragon in 1304 ; the establishment of regency of Queen Leonor of Aragon Aragon, during the reign of Afonso V ; and the decisions of the Cortes, which gathered intermittently in Torres Novas, to manage the Kingdom's issues. Isabel of Avis was the donatário at the first half of the 15th century, receiving a new foral, during the reign of Manuel I of Portugal. In the following decade, John of Lancaster was given the title of the first Marquis of Torres Novas, along with the Duke of Aveiro. The monarch survived the attempted assassination. The king's daughter later conceded a license to Henrique Meuron and David Suabe to install Fábrica das Chitas, which was later destroyed by General Massena, during the third French campaign along the Iberian peninsula. The economy within Torres Novas continued along the 19th century, with some successes and failures: the founding of the Fábrica de Papel do Almonda ; establishment of the Companhia de Fiação de Torres Novas ; the creation of the transporter João Clara & Companhia Lda. which, at the time of its nationalization, was domianted by Clara Transportes - S.A.R.L.. The inauguration of the raillink between Torres Novas and Alcanena occurred in 1893, and was one of the most curious episode in the business and troubled history of the area.
Geography
The municipality of Torres Novas, situated in the Médio Tejo subregion, with its neighbours Entroncamento, Tomar, Abrantes, Ourém and Fátima. Administratively, The city of Torres Novas is the seat of the municipality, that is divided into 10 civil parishes civil parishes:
Four of the parishes were included in the city of Torres Novas. The union of Torres Novas, Lapas e Ribeira Branca concentrates the majority of the people of the municipality, in contrast with the parish of Zibreira. The largest parish, with an area of, is the Torres Novas, and the smallest is the parish of Meia Via,. The small size means that it is the largest by density, with 395 inhabitants per kilometre square, and eight times the density of the smallest, Chancelaria. The present president of the municipality is Pedro Ferreira, elected by the Socialist Party.
Archeology
The village of Almonda within the parish of Zibreira is noted for the Aroeira cave where the 400,000 years old Aroeira 3 skull of Homo Heidelbergensis was discovered in 2014 - The oldest trace of human history in Portugal.
, a well known papercompany, is based in the municipality, as well as the Companhia de Torres Novas, a textiles company.
Culture
The municipal holiday is Ascension Day. There are Municipal Museum Carlos Reis, Agricultural Museum of Riachos and Humberto Delgado Memorial House in the municipality.
