Lalim is a civil parish (''
freguesia
''Freguesia'' (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Port ...
'') in
Lamego Municipality
Lamego (; cel-x-proto, Lamecum) is a city and municipality in the Viseu District, in the Norte Region of the Douro in northern Portugal. Located on the shores of the Balsemão River, the municipality has a population of 26,691, in an area of 165 ...
in the
Viseu District
The District of Viseu ( pt, Distrito de Viseu ) is located in the Central Inland of Portugal, the District Capital is the city of Viseu.
Municipalities
The district is composed by 24 municipalities:
* Armamar
* Carregal do Sal
* Castro Daire
* ...
of the
Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 729,
[Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE)]
Census 2011 results according to the 2013 administrative division of Portugal in an area of 7.22 km².
History
Conjecturally, several authors have presupposed that this settlement was founded during the reign of the Moor Ibne-Huim.
It was in Lalim that Count
Pedro Afonso, the illegitimate son King
Denis lived after the death of his father, leaving the life at court to his brother and new King
Afonso IV
Afonso IVEnglish: ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', or ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese), ''Alfonso'' or ''Alphonso'' (Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin). (; 8 February 129128 May 1357), called the Brave ( pt, o Bravo, links=no), was King ...
.
[Adriana Mocelim (2007), p.11] The prince, occupied the signeurial estate of ''Paço de Lalim'', where he was remembered for composing many his famous ''Livro das Cantigas'', among other works.
[
In the 14th century, Lalim was part of the municipality of Castro Rei.][Arquivo Distrital de Viseu (2011)] Between 1514 and 1834, the parish became the seat of its own municipality when the administration of King Manuel issued a foral
200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal
The word ''foral'' ({{IPA-pt, fuˈɾaɫ, eu, plural: ''forais'') is a noun derived from the Portuguese word ''foro'', ultimately from Latin ''forum'', equivalent to Spanish ''fuero'', Galician ''foro'', Ca ...
(''charter''), that would include approximately 648 inhabitants by 1801.[
At the end of the 18th century, Lalim and Ribelas were reorganized into a new municipality, that persisted until 1834. From 1834 to 1896, it became part of the municipality of ]Tarouca
Tarouca () is a municipality and a city in Viseu District in Norte Region and Douro Subregion in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 8,046, in an area of 100.08 km2.
The city of Tarouca proper has about 3,400 residents; it was promoted to c ...
.[ When this municipality was extinguished, in June 1896, Lalim began to exist as part of the municipality of Lamego.][ Its abbey became a representative centre of the Convent of Santa Maria de Salzedas, or Convent of São João de Tarouca, during the 1862 parochial statistics, and supported by their ]donatário
A ' (Portuguese for "donated" or "endowed ne), sometimes anglicized as donatary, was a private person — often a noble — who was granted a considerable piece of land (a ') by the Kingdom of Portugal. The king exempted these titleholders from n ...
s, the Counts of Tarouca.[
]
Geography
Within a valley formed by the Monte de Santa Bárbara and Monte Teleférico, the civil parish is bordered by Lazarim, Melcões, Galvã, Várzea da Serra, Gondomar and Ferreirim. The parish contains the localities Ameal, Carvalhal, Enxertada, Freixo, Lalim, Outeiro, Ponte Nova, Revolta, Ribeiro, Ribelas, Tapada and Veiga.
It is supported by the affluents of the River Varosa, which snake through the municipality of Lamego, forming an accidented relief and dense vegetation of pine, chestnut, heather (''Ericaceae
The Ericaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with c.4250 known species spread across 124 genera, making it th ...
''), carqueja, tojo, giestas and mimosas trees. This environment supports a diverse fauna including wild boar, fox, wolf and hare.
Economy
On an economic level, agriculture in small parcels, primarily subsistence in character, predominates this region, with the cultivation of corn and vineyards being the focus crops. In addition, civil construction, meat-processing charcuteira and saw-milling provide ancillary service economies to the region.
Architecture
As a symbol of its autonomy, the parish has a planned square alongside its medieval square, where its original civic pillory was constructed, to mark it early history. In addition, visits to the small parish are highlighted by several nationally designated architectural structures, such as:
Civic
* Medieval Jail of Lalim (), constructed in the 16th century, although much in ruin, the building is known for the recognizable sculpted coat-of-arms of the Menses family on its facade;
* Pillory of Lalim (), the politico-administrative structure was erected in 1514 by King Manuel when the monarch issued a foral
200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal
The word ''foral'' ({{IPA-pt, fuˈɾaɫ, eu, plural: ''forais'') is a noun derived from the Portuguese word ''foro'', ultimately from Latin ''forum'', equivalent to Spanish ''fuero'', Galician ''foro'', Ca ...
(''charter'') to the settlement;
* Roman Bridge of Lalim (), constructed during the late part of the 15th century, the bridge was actually a Romanesque design, following the traits of common Roman designs, and crosses the Ribeira da Tarouca, an affluent of the River Varosela;
Religious
* Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (), the simple single-nave chapel was constructed off Rua de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, surmounted by two pinnacles and a cross;
* Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Glória (), the Baroque era nave was actually a replacement to the pre-existing medieval temple, where between 1572 and 1585, Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII ( la, Gregorius XIII; it, Gregorio XIII; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585), born Ugo Boncompagni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for ...
granted an annual jubilee;
* Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (), located on the hilltop of the locality of Piedade, was reconstructed in the Baroque style for the period to replace an older church, from the second half of the 16th century;
* Chapel of São Sebastião (), the simple single-nave chapel includes narrow retable with primitive carving of the patron saint;
* Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Aparecida ()
* Church of Santa Maria (), the parochial church of Lalim, dedicated to ''Holy Mary'' (or sometimes ''Holy Mary of the Nativity''), includes main nave and retable, with a single belfry.
Culture
Throughout the year, this parish is the center of both secular and religious celebrations, of which the following are considered popular within and without the territory:
* ''O Cantar das Janeiras'' (''Singing of January''), held between 25 December until then end of January, and involves nightly caroling through the streets, to celebrate the appearance of three magi
Magi (; singular magus ; from Latin ''magus'', cf. fa, مغ ) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius th ...
;
* ''Leitura do Testamento da Comadre e do Compadre'' (''Reading of the Testament of Godmother and Godfather''), held on the day of Carnaval, when the single youth of Lalim deride each other, with a mix of humor and pathose;
* ''Queima do Judas'' (''Burning of Judas''), held on Easter, involves the burning of papermache figures, symbolizing people who, supposedly, betrayed Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
, while their sins are readout to the gathered public;
Similarly, Lalim is a parish full of religious festivals spread throughout the various months of the year. The festival of ''Nossa Senhora da Piedade'', on the third Sunday of August, is the most popular of these festivities. But, in addition, there are the festivals of São Sebastião (on the third Sunday of January), of Christ (in May), the Virgin Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...
, namely ''Nossa Senhora da Conceição'' (8 December), and the festivals of the nativity, on 25 December and 1 January, referred to as the ''Festa do Menino''.
The art of basket weaving and ceramics-making continue in Lalim, in a small artesnal shop call ''Lalinus'', which displays local craftsmanship.
Popular foods from this region include the yellow cake of Easter, meat balls, codfish and lamb oven roasted with potatoes and rice.
Some of the organized associations within the community include the ''Associação de Caçadores'', the ''Grupo Desportivo e Cultural'' and the local band the ''Sociedade Filarmónica'', while the ''O Grupo de cantadores de Janeiras'' and the ''Grupo de Bombos'', are organized sporadically for their events (and do not maintain their own buildings).
References
Notes
Sources
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{{authority control
Freguesias of Lamego
Populated places in Viseu District