Cuba (), officially the Town of Cuba (), is a town and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the District of Beja in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 4,878, in an area of 172.09 km². The current mayor (since 2013) is João Português. The municipal holiday is Monday after Easter.

History

The name "Cuba" is likely of Arabic origin, pertaining to the qubba, that is

cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, usually dome-like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as a lookout. The word derives, via Ital ...

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

d tombs of ascetic spiritual leaders. Such toponyms are frequent in Southern Portugal and likely related to the

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

movements that flourished during the period of Almoravid decay, such as the one led by Ibn Qasi. CristovaoColomboCuba

In the 20th century, a small number of scholars sought to ascribe Portuguese origins to

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

. One of these attempts had him born in the town of Cuba, after which he would have named the Caribbean island (see possible birthplace of Christopher Columbus). A statue honouring the explorer can be seen in the city centre.

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into four civil parishes ('' freguesias''): * Cuba *

Faro do Alentejo Faro do Alentejo is a Portuguese civil parish (''Freguesia'') within the municipality of Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of isla ...

* Vila Alva * Vila Ruiva

Notable people

* Diogo Dias Melgás (1638 in Cuba, Alentejo - 1700) a Portuguese composer of late-Renaissance sacred polyphony.

References

External links

Town Hall official website
Towns in Portugal Populated places in Beja District Municipalities of Beja District {{Beja-geo-stub