HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Loulé () is a city 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 region of
Algarve The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelho, ''concelhos'' or ''município ...
, district of Faro,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. In 2021, the population of the entire municipality was 72,373 inhabitants, in an area of approximately . The municipality has two principal cities: Loulé (the seat of the municipality) and
Quarteira Quarteira (, ) is a Portuguese Freguesia (Portugal), 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. Histo ...
.


History

Human presence in the territory of Loulé remotes to the Later Paleolithic. The growth of the settlement of Loulé likely stemmed from the late Neolithic, when small bands began rotating agricultural crops and herds around numerous subterranean cavities in its proximity (specifically around Goldra, Esparguina and Matos da Nora). Within the following millennium, the settlements began to grow and intensify with spread of Mediterranean cultures, that progressively penetrated the southwestern part of the peninsula. This culminated in the arrival of the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, who founded the first trading posts along the maritime coast, increasing fishing, prospecting for minerals and commercial activities. After the 2nd century Punic War, the Roman provided a new impulse to economic activities, expanding the canning industry, agriculture and exploration of copper and iron. In the urban area of Loulé, a sculpted altar to the Goddess Diana, the rustic villages of Clareanes and Apra, and necropolises suggested the extent of Roman occupation. In the 5th century, the Suevians and Vandals, and later the Visigoths, destroyed many of the vestiges of Roman Empire, adapting and assimilating these earlier models of settlement and the cultural experiences of the native populations. The arrival of Muslim Moors, in the 8th century, lead to the rise of the historic Al-'Ulya' (Loulé), consisting of a small ''almedina'' (''fortified city'') under the reign of Niebla, under the command of Taifa Ibne Mafom. The second half of the 12th century was an epoch marked by great political and military instability, with internal dissensions across the Garb Andaluz, supported by military constructions. It is possible that Al-'Ulya' was fortified during this period. The remains of the primitive keep remain, practically intact, the Taipa tower (''Torre da Vela'') situated along the old ''Rua da Corredora'' (today the ''Rua Engº Duarte Pacheco''). The bell tower of Loulé St. Clemens Church (São Clemente) was originally a minaret of a former Muslim mosque. It is one of the few remaining
Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
religious architectural elements from the Moor rule in Portugal. Located across the church is ''Jardim dos Amuados'', which is an old Moor Muslim cemetery.


Kingdom

In 1249, King D. Afonso III supported by D. Paio Peres Correia, Knight and Master of the Order of Santiago, conquered the castle from the Moors, and integrated into the possessions of the Portuguese Crown. The first
foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The ''Carta de Foral'', or simply ''Foral'', was a royal document in Portugal and its former empire, whose purpose was to establish a ''concelho'' (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and priv ...
(''charter'') was issued to the settlement in 1266. A second foral was issued in 1269, to the southern suburbs of Mouraria with narrow winding streets and medieval toponyms, such as ''Rua da Mouraria'' and ''Rua dos Oleiros''. The consequences of the Christian
Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...
had a negative effect on the economy of Loulé and its region, which was dependent trade from northern Africa and Andalusia. King D. Denis ordered the establishment of a fair in Loulé, unique to the Algarve, that lasted 15 days in September: it was located in Rossio, in front of the Horta D’El Rei, alongside the ''Porta de Silves''. The new economy, based on agriculture, supported by bartering across regions was insufficient to augment the isolation and stagnation by the end of the 14th century. The desolate environment in which Loulé was present, were supported by the 1385 ''Actas de Vereação'' (''Acts of Town Council''), by which Camareiro-Mor João Afonso affirmed that the village was unpopulated, its castle in ruins and debris littered the field. In order to alleviate the situation, King D.
John I John I may refer to: People Religious figures * John I (bishop of Jerusalem) * John Chrysostom (349 – c. 407), Patriarch of Constantinople * John I of Antioch (died 441) * Pope John I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope from 496 to 505 * Pope John I, P ...
bestowed special privileges on the village to expand the settlement, then donated land in front of the Church of São Clemente for a courtyard. The ''Actas'' also gave notice that the King of Castile was prepared to enter Portugal. In order to prevent its eventual attack, there was a move to repair the tower over the ''Porta de Faro'' and raise the walls along the southern flank. This area, until the 16th century, for reasons of defense and accessibility was the principal urban space, penetrated by a various roadways: the ''Largo da Matriz'' which crossed the principal arterials (the ''Rua Martim Farto'', ''Rua da Cadeia'' and ''Rua da Matriz'') which connected the principal spaces of the village, alcaldery, town council, jailhouse and gates. During Portugal's maritime expansion, the Algarve entered a new economic phase. Loulé, in this context, occupied an important place in the export of wine, olive oil, dried fruit, handicrafts, salt and fish which allowed it to prosper and recover from many years of stagnation and decay: allowing the town to expand public spaces and construct new infrastructures. In 1422, the walls were rebuilt under the orders of D. Henrique de Meneses, first Count of Loulé. In 1471, the old shelter was transformed, by order of King D. Afonso V, into the first hospital in the Algarve, in order to help injured soldiers that regressed from the battles in Tangiers. To the north, and outside the walls, new residential spaces were organized, along the roadways that would become ''Rua do Poço'', ''Travessa do Outeiro'', ''Rua da Laranjeira'' and the ''Rua do Alto de São Domingos'' (where the Order of Santiago indicated existed the Hermitage of São Domingos in 1565). In the west, they constructed the Hermitage of São Sebastião half a league from the centre, and the Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Piedade, which complimented the Church of Nossa Senhora dos Pobres (which was erected in 1400). By the end of the 16th century, Portugal had lost its independence following the events of Alcácer Quibir. The region and village of Loulé was, once again, threatened by coastal attacks from pirates along the coast, yet the castle defenses had already become threatened and had fallen into ruin. After 1630, the economic vitality of the Algarve began to fall, its populations stagnating and political instability contributing to Barbary Coast piracy. The regions expansion suffered, even as new buildings were being constructed: in 1600, the Church of Portas do Ceu was constructed; in the three of the gates of the castle they constructed hermitages to Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Nossa Senhora do Pilar and Nossa Senhora do Carmo; in the courtyard, they constructed the Church of Espírito Santo (then recovered and expanded in 1693); expanded the nunnery of Convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceição; and in the east, D. Francisco Barreto, second bishop of the Algarve, laid the cornerstone of the Convent of Santo António (1675). After the Restoration, the castle took on a defensive role and lands surrounding the structure were occupied by new construction. By the beginning of the 18th century, during the reign of
John V John V may refer to: * Patriarch John V of Alexandria or John the Merciful (died by 620), Patriarch of Alexandria from 606 to 616 * John V of Constantinople, Patriarch from 669 to 675 * Pope John V (685–686), Pope from 685 to his death in 686 ...
, Portugal lived a period of economic prosperity sustained by gold from
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. Many of the churches and chapels were enriched by the spoils of conquest; gold, azulejo, rich woods, and artistic treasures were used to beautify the religious structures of the kingdom, by artesans in the region and factories in the north. A group of public works expanded to the edge of the town, primarily west of the Convent of Graça, south of the old Corredoura, east of the old ''Largo dos Inocentes'' square and ''Rua da Carreira'', and north to the ''Rua da Praça'' and ''Rua da Laranjeira''. But, much of the village was destroyed in the
1722 Events January–March * January 27 – Daniel Defoe's novel '' Moll Flanders'' is published anonymously in London. * February 10 – The Battle of Cape Lopez begins off of the coast of West Africa (and present-day Gabon), ...
and 1755 earthquakes: the towers of the castle cracked, walls crumbled, church and Convent of Graça collapsed, and the
parochial Parochial is an adjective which may refer to: * Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a ...
church experienced grave damage; those civilian buildings that were not destroyed became uninhabited and the municipal hall was so damaged that sessions were realized in a small house along ''Rua Ancha'', later in a building on the edge of the municipal square. After the reconstruction of the village new residential areas began to pop-up with several occupied by the local merchant-class. In the first quarter of the 19th century, the political instability generated by the Napoleonic Wars, the flight of the monarchy and the
Liberal Wars The Liberal Wars (), also known as the Portuguese Civil War () and the War of the Two Brothers () was a civil war in Portugal that lasted from May 1828 to May 1834, fought between liberal progressive constitutionalists (led by former King P ...
provoked an economic crisis. In order to alleviate the financial burden and consolidate the public debit, ''Ministro da Fazenda'' (''Minister of Finances''),
Mouzinho da Silveira José Xavier Mouzinho da Silveira (12 July 1780 in Castelo de Vide – 4 April 1849 in Lisbon) was a Portuguese statesman, jurist and politician, as well as one of the most important personalities of the Liberal Revolution of 1820, responsible for ...
decreed the sale of national possessions and expropriation of convents. As a consequence, the Convent of Espírito Santo, closed since 1836, was occupied and transformed into the municipal hall and judicial tribunal, while the church converted into a theatre. Meanwhile, alongside the walls of the old castle, the lots were occupied for residential and commercial purposes. However, the greatest transformation occurred with the opening of Avenida Marçal Pacheco that connected the east and west, along the ''Rua da Praça'' (today ''Avenida Praça da República''), resulting in the demolition the hermitage of Carmo and part of the wall alongside. The ''Rua da Praça'' was along the principal circulation of the most important social, economic and cultural space in the tow. In 1885, it began to symbolize the most important political space in the town, after the municipal council was transferred to its current place. At the end of the 19th century, the town had expanded to the west, initiating a new phase of urbanization in Quinta do Olival de São Francisco, which was integrated into the new civil parish of São Sebastião, created in 1890 after São Clemente was divided. This new zone had a modern plan with roads design from existing roadways, forming rectangular blocks and triangular public spaces. The urban and demographic growth in this period was associated with industrialization that attracted a nascent population to small artisanal factories. This process was aided by the evolution of transport, the construction of rail lines in the Algarve and the development of communication lines that contributed to the demographic shift of the municipality. Before the establishment of the First Republic, many of the contemporary architectural structures were constructed, including the municipal market, a project of architect Mota Gomes. This project substantially altered the urban character of the town, provoking the considerable destruction of the castle. But, it was the opening of the ''Avenida José da Costa Mealha'' that had a considerable logistic and architectural impact on the town. Until the establishment of the Estado Novo, the greatest improvements came from replacing the public lighting and installation of a water supply and drainage system. Following the military coup on 28 May 1926, until the Carnation Revolution, the growth of Loulé proceed moderately with the modernization of ''Avenida José da Costa Mealha'' (today ''Avenida 25 de Abril''), that helped to spur many of the more expressive buildings in the town (such as the Cine-Teatro Louletano and the Duarte Pacheco monument). These developments assisted in accelerating the construction in Loulé. To the northeast and south of ''Avenida José da Costa Mealha'' large residential blocks occupied old agricultural properties and traditional architecture.


Geography

Loulé is well known for the sandy beaches, such as Quarteira. Inland, Loulé shows a rich geology, paleontology, and wildlife. The seat of the municipality, the city of Loulé proper, is about 10 kilometres inland from the nearest coast at an elevation exceeding 100 meters and higher. Administratively, the municipality is divided into 9 civil parishes ('' freguesias''): *
Almancil Almancil () is a town and ''freguesia'' in the Loulé Municipality, in the affluent Golden Triangle region of the Algarve The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It ...
* Alte * Ameixial * Boliqueime *
Quarteira Quarteira (, ) is a Portuguese Freguesia (Portugal), 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. Histo ...
* Querença, Tôr e Benafim * Salir * São Clemente * São Sebastião


Culture

A highlight of the summer months in Loulé is Noite Branca, the Festival of White Night held to celebrate the end of summer. Locals and tourists, all wearing white, converge on the town, where a dazzling display of music, dance and pageantry awaits. Young people wander the streets, dressed in white as princes and princesses, demons and winged fantasy figures, while live bands play in the background. Loulé is also the largest municipality in the Algarve and includes well-known towns near the sea (like Vilamoura or Quinta do Lago) but also the hidden villages in the Algarve mountains where there are unmistakable landscapes.


Economy

The tertiary sector is the engine of the economy of Loulé municipality and is related to tourism, namely sun and beach tourism in such places like Vilamoura and
Quarteira Quarteira (, ) is a Portuguese Freguesia (Portugal), 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. Histo ...
. In the primary sector, the agricultural area occupies about 34.2% of the area of the municipality, with the predominance of cereals for grain, citrus, vines and dried fruits, temporary grassland and forage crops. With regard to livestock, poultry, sheep and pigs stand out as the main species produced. Loulé has a high forest density of almost 50% (49.8%) of the useful agricultural area, which corresponds to 12,216 ha, devoted essentially to plantations of
pine tree A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as c ...
. The food, construction and cement industries ( CIMPOR has a major cement plant in Loulé) are the main economic activities of the secondary sector.


Sport

In Pavilhão Desportivo Municipal de Loulé (an indoor sports arena), a World Cup is held every year in the sport of
trampolining Trampolining or trampoline gymnastics is a competitive Olympic Games, Olympic sport in which athletes perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline. In competition, these can include simple jumps in the straight, pike, tuck, or straddle posit ...
. The most noteworthy football team in Loulé is the
Louletano D.C. Louletano Desportos Clube is a Portugal, Portuguese club from Loulé, founded on 6 June 1923. The association football team currently play in the Campeonato Nacional de Seniores (Portuguese fourth level), D series. The club plays at the Estádio ...
Louletano-Loulé Concelho is a professional cycling team based in Loulé.


Notable citizens

*
José Mendes Cabeçadas José Mendes Cabeçadas Júnior, Order of the Tower and Sword, OTE, Order of Aviz, ComA, Medalha de Comportamento Exemplar, MPCE (), commonly known as Mendes Cabeçadas (19 August 1883 in Loulé – 11 June 1965 in Lisbon), was a Portuguese p ...
(1883–1965) a Navy officer, freemason, republican and revolutionary * Duarte Pacheco (1900–1943) a Government minister responsible for improving Portuguese infrastructure during the Estado Novo era. * Pedro Correia de Barros (1911–1968) navy officer and governor of Mozambique 1958-1961 * Laura Ayres (1922–1992) a virologist, a pioneer in the fight against AIDS * John Jacob Lavranos (1926–2018) a Greek/South African insurance broker and botanist, lived in Loulé from 1995 *
Aníbal Cavaco Silva Aníbal António Cavaco Silva (; born 15 July 1939) is a Portuguese economist and politician who served as the 19th president of Portugal, from 9 March 2006 to 9 March 2016, and as prime minister of Portugal, from 6 November 1985 to 25 October ...
(born 1939) a Portuguese economist, scholar,
Prime Minister of Portugal The prime minister of Portugal (; ) is the head of government of Portugal. As head of government, the prime minister coordinates the actions of ministers, represents the Government of Portugal to the other bodies of state, is accountable to Ass ...
1985-1995 and 19th
President of Portugal The president of Portugal, officially the president of the Portuguese Republic (, ), is the head of state and highest office of Portugal. The powers, functions and duties of prior presidential offices, and their relation with the prime minister ...
2006-2016 * António Carrilho (born 1942) a
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
priest and Bishop of Funchal * Vítor Aleixo (born 1956) the current mayor of Loulé * Nuno Guerreiro (born 1972), Portuguese singer (lead vocalist of Ala dos Namorados). * Jamila Madeira (born 1975) a politician and
Member of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...
* Dânia Neto (born 1983) an actress and model


Tourism

Loulé has developed its
Cultural Tourism Cultural tourism is a type of tourism in which the visitor's essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the cultural attractions and products offered by a tourist destination. These attractions and products relate to the ...
through exhibitions, markets, fairs and processions. It is an official Creative Tourism City and offers to tourists cultural authenticity.


References


External links


Photos from Loulé


{{DEFAULTSORT:Loule Municipality Populated places in Faro District Municipalities of the Algarve Municipalities of Faro District