Porto Salvo

Parish

Coat of arms

Porto Salvo

Coordinates: 38°43′23″N 9°18′22″W / 38.723°N 9.306°WCoordinates: 38°43′23″N 9°18′22″W / 38.723°N 9.306°W

Country

Area

• Total

7.34 km² (2.83 sq mi)

Population (2011)

• Total

15,157

• Density

2,100/km² (5,300/sq mi)

Postal code

2740

Area code

214

Patron

Nossa Senhora do Porto Salvo

Porto Salvo (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpoɾtu ˈsaɫvu]) is a civil parish in the municipality of Oeiras, Portugal. It is situated to the north of the parish of Oeiras e São Julião da Barra, Paço de Arcos e Caxias. The population in 2011 was 15,157, in an area of 7.34 km².

Tradition suggests that the locality of Porto Salvo was constructed by crews from ships travelling to and from India, during the Portuguese period of discovery. In the middle of a great storm, these sailors promised the Virgin Mary that if they saved their lives, that they would build in here honour a hermitage on the highest point on land. Since this time, all the ships that arrived along the Tagus fired a 20-gun salvo in honour of their invocation until the end of the 19th century. The hilltop, where the actual parish is located, served for a long time as a point of orientation for ships that arrived along the coast. Much like the early sailors, successive crews began calling the area as Porto Salvo (Saved Port).The chapel was consecrated to Nossa Senhora do Porto Salvo (Our Lady of Porto Salvo), and built by the early crews. In ruins for some time, it was reconstructed in the 18th century. The rustic porch-like facade has two azulejo panels, painted by António de Oliveira Bernardes, while its single-nave interior is decorated by azulejo tile dating to 1734. These tiles represent the life of the Virgin Mary, and the first years of the life of Jesus Christ.

Another temple, far simpler, but with an aesthetic quality also existed in the region, dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Socorro (Our Lady of Help/Aid), in Leião. This locality was one of the areas north of the old centre of Oeiras, in the 14th century. An 18th-century temple, the frontispeice is marked by several corners, a rustic porch, and the interior is reconstructed with dubious merit.

In 1679, by order of John V a fortress was constructed under the authority of the Count of Cantanhede, later Marquess of Marialva, who was responsible for the Tagus' defences and protection from Spanish attacks. The fort is located in the Paço de Arcos. Until the 18th century, Porto Salvo was an obscure locality, but integrated into the vintena da Caspolima. The location had no importance politically or economically.

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Wikipedia