Almancil
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Almancil () is a town and ''
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 the
Loulé Loulé () is a city and municipality in the region of Algarve, district of Faro, Portugal. In 2011, the population of the entire municipality was 70,622 inhabitants, in an area of approximately . The municipality has two principal cities: Loulé ...
Municipality, in the affluent
Golden Triangle Golden Triangle may refer to: Places Asia * Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia), named for its opium production * Golden Triangle (Yangtze), China, named for its rapid economic development * Golden Triangle (India), comprising the popular tourist ...
region of the
Algarve The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese). The region has it ...
of southern
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
. Almancil is known for its three Michelin star restaurants, the most of any town in the Algarve. The town had a population of 10,677 inhabitants in 2011,Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE)
Census 2011 results according to the 2013 administrative division of Portugal
in an area of .


History

First referred to as ''Almansil'', Almancil had an Arabic origin; it was likely ''Almançal'', which means "inn" or another variant suggesting a watercourse (''Almansil''). The territory that is today Almancil remotes to the Paleolithic, with archaeological excavations unearthing vestages from remote settlements. The more important artifacts come from the Roman occupation from São João da Venda, Ludo and Quinta do Lago, with the latter occupied by Islamic forces. In the 16th century, Alexandre Massai (who served the Portuguese Crown) realized excavations along the coastal fortifications in the Algarve, discovering the plans for the fort of Farrobilhas, the old fortification that dominated Almancil (but today lost due to the coastal advance). Visits by the members of the Order of Santiago, in the middle of the 17th century, mentioned the existence of the hermitage of Nossa Senhora de Farrobilhas (also destroyed since this period). In the 18th century, the reconstruction of the hermitage of São Lourenço, then in ruins, in fulfillment of a promise made to the saint by the population, brought new impetus to the communal religious life. The temple, which was barely touched by the 1755 earthquake, became one of the most important in the region after its restoration: celebrations occur annually on 10 August, in honour of
Saint Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. "Laurel wreath, laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the Persecution of Christians, perse ...
. Almancil has been a civil parish since 1836; following expansion and development in the 19th century, the parish of São João da Venda was divided between the municipalities of Faro and Loulé. In the west, the civil parish of São João Batista de Almancil and portion of the neighbouring territory of São Clemente was integrated into the new Almancil. Due to an influx of tourism into the Algarve, the resident population of the parish expanded, resulting in the 18 December 1987 elevation of the parish to category of town.


Geography

Almancil is located along the south-eastern coastline of the municipality of Loulé, fronting the civil parishes of
Quarteira Quarteira ( or ) is a Portuguese civil parish, in the municipality (''concelho'') of Loulé in the Algarve.Detail Regional Map, Algarve-Southern Portugal, The population in 2011 was 21,798, in an area of 38.16 km². History The settlement o ...
and
São Clemente The Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba São Clemente is a samba school from Rio de Janeiro, located in the Cidade Nova neighborhood, on Avenida Presidente Vargas. The school became famous over the years for plots regarded as full of good humor, ...
(in the municipality of Loulé) and
Santa Bárbara de Nexe Santa Bárbara de Nexe is a village and civil parish in the Portuguese municipality of Faro on the southern Algarve region. The population in 2011 was 4,116, in an area of 38.22 km². It is located a few kilometers from both the cities of Lou ...
,
Faro (Sé e São Pedro) Faro may refer to: Places Africa * Faro (department), North Province, Cameroon * Faro National Park, Cameroon Americas * Faro, Pará, Brazil, a municipality * Faro, Yukon, Canada, a town ** Faro (electoral district) ** Faro Airport (Yukon) ** ...
and
Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...
(in the municipality of Faro). The natural landscape of the parish is marked by the Nature Park of the Ria Formosa, a site of great botanical value and a natural habitat of rare ornithological species. Along the coast are the several popular beaches: Ancão, Quinta do Lago, Garrão and Vale do Lobo.


Economy

The economy of Almancil supports the nearby holiday and residential developments:
Quinta do Lago Quinta do Lago is a golf resort in Almancil, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Quinta do Lago comprises one of the three corners of the Golden Triangle of the Algarve's most affluent communities. The community hosted the Portuguese O ...
and
Vale do Lobo Vale do Lobo is a golf resort in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Vale do Lobo comprises one of the three corners of the Golden Triangle of the Algarve's most affluent and expensive communities. The community hosted the Portuguese Open, p ...
. In addition to several tourist-oriented restaurants, real estate offices, supermarkets, flowershops, garden centers, interior decorators and furnishing shops support the local market. With average land prices starting at €5000 per ,
Quinta do Lago Quinta do Lago is a golf resort in Almancil, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Quinta do Lago comprises one of the three corners of the Golden Triangle of the Algarve's most affluent communities. The community hosted the Portuguese O ...
has the most expensive property rates in Portugal, with the Almancil and
Vale do Lobo Vale do Lobo is a golf resort in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Vale do Lobo comprises one of the three corners of the Golden Triangle of the Algarve's most affluent and expensive communities. The community hosted the Portuguese Open, p ...
.


Architecture


Civic

*
Algarve Stadium The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese). The region has its ...
( pt, Estãdio Algarve), used in the
2004 European Football Championship The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2004, was the 12th edition of the UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial football competition contested by the men's national teams of UEFA member associations. The ...
* Cinema Miranda * Fiscal Guard Post Ilha de Faro ( pt, Posto da Guarda Fiscal, FG, da Ilha de Faro) * Fiscal Guard Post Anção ( pt, Posto da Guarda Fiscal, FG, Anção) * Gardens of Hotel Grampiam ( pt, Jardins do Hotel Grampiam) * Gardens of Quinta do Lago ( pt, Jardins da Quinta do Lago)


Religious

* Church of São Lourenço de Almancil ( pt, Igreja Paroquial de Almansil/Igreja de São Lourenço de Almancil) * Hermitage of São João da Venda ( pt, Ermida de São João da Venda)


References

{{Authority control Freguesias of Loulé