Tondela

Template:Geobox Tondela (Portuguese pronunciation: [tõˈdɛlɐ]) is a municipality in the central Portuguese subregion of Dão-Lafões. Following the 2001 census, this area had a resident population of just over 31,026 inhabitants, occupying a territory of approximately 371.2 square kilometres (143.3 sq mi).

History

The mound of Anta da Arquinha da Moura: vestiges of prehistoric cultures

The ancient espigueiro used by hill peoples to dry corn and store corn

Amadeu Ferraz de Carvalho (1876-1851) wrote of the municipality of Tondela in the following terms: "The municipality of Tondela extends over the plateau, covers part of the eastern slope of Caramulo and surpassing the saw still slopes through the highlands of São João do Monte, over the gentle flanks of the upper Águeda basin. In this way, the natural sections of your area are: part of the plateau, cut by the Dão and its effluents the Pavia and Dinha; the depressed lands between the plateau and the Serra do Caramulo, drained by the Criz and its effluents; a part of the eastern flanks of the Caramulanian mountains and elevated east around the Águeda basin; and I add, an extreme basin, with Quaternary deposits, that indicate small extinct lakes, along the Serra do Caramulo; and the Vale de Besteiros." In this context, the region of Tondela appears as one of the principal locations of archaeological remnants, and concentrations of prehistoric populations.

The traditional origin of Tondela arises from the fountain Chafariz das Sereias, a sculpted spring of stone, with a woman holding a trumpet. Legend suggests that this female figure was representative an another woman who monitored the movements of Moorish forces across the mountains from here lookout. When she discovered an impeding attack from her vantage point the woman would sound the horn, and "at the sound of this instrument" (literally, tone of it), the settlers would arise to meet the enemy. The phrase "ao'tom'dela", which means "the sound of it", was transformed into the name "Tondela".

Geography

A view of Campo de Besteiros, located in the northwest-central mountains of Serra do Caramulo

The municipality comprises 26 civil parishes, within the district of Viseu, that include:

• Barreiro de Besteiros
• Campo de Besteiros
• Canas de Santa Maria
• Caparrosa
• Castelões
• Dardavaz
• Ferreirós do Dão
• Guardão
• Lajeosa do Dão
• Lobão da Beira
• Molelos
• Mosteirinho
• Mosteiro de Fráguas
• Mouraz
• Nandufe
• Parada de Gonta
• Sabugosa
• Santiago de Besteiros
• São João do Monte
• São Miguel do Outeiro
• Silvares
• Tonda
• Tondela
• Tourigo
• Vila Nova da Rainha
• Vilar de Besteiros

Sport

The Clube Desportivo de Tondela is the principal athletic club in the municipality, and its football team earned its first ascension to the Liga de Honra during the 2011-2012 season.

References

Notes

External links

• Portal Tondela Online
• Photos from Tondela