Alvaiázere, from the “chícharo” to the charmed valleys
Imagine a land where the arab influence is part of their traditions and where the nature and the religion dictate the rules.
That`s Alvaiázere, a Portuguese town that belongs to the district of Leiria (Central Portugal), with about 1.800 inhabitants.
The municipal district of Alvaiázere counts with seven “freguesias”: Almoster, Alvaiázere, Maçãs de Caminho, Maçãs de Dona Maria, Pelmá, Pussos e Rego da Murta.
The council owes its name from the arabic influence in the area. When those people invaded the Iberian Peninsula, in the year of 711, they took possession of great part of the actual portuguese territory, that’s the case of Alvaiázere, which was called Al-Bai-Zir or Alva-Varze, according to the history.
In spite of the years, the municipal district always maintained their cultural characteristics. One of the most important points of the council is the mountain of Alvaiázere, from where it is possible to see an excellent panorama of that place, in a relaxing atmosphere.
The landscape is also composed by vineyards, olive trees, corn fields and beautiful houses. The hillsides keep the purity of the flocks and of the goats, in a municipal district where the nature is intense, with the presence of valleys and holms between two courses of water, Nabão and the riverside of Alge.
There are prehistoric artefacts and dispersed archeological places a little bit for the whole council. Antas do Ramalhal, a Rominha and the town of the Mountain of Alvaiázere are one of the main tourist points of that area, that keeps an important historical marks.
The agriculture is the economic base of this area. The fertile soils, the valleys, the holms and the hillsides covered with vineyards and olive trees, were important auxiliaries of the population.
But the history was made through the times. Alvaiázere was elevated to village by D. João I, in 1338. In 1435, D. Duarte donated the village to his wife, the Queen D. Leonor, passing Alvaiázere to the domain of the crown. D. Manuel gave its new designation, on May 15, 1514. In this year, not only the town of Alvaiázere received new designation. The actuals “freguesias” of the council, also Maçãs de D. Maria e Pussos (known as Vila Nova de Pussos) they also obtained the privileges of that document.
The signs of the past and of its history are still evident in the whole council of Alvaiázere. In that place, there are several solar and elegant farms, all with centuries of history. In the headquarters of the council exist a solar that belonged to Duarte Pacheco Pereira, the famous murderer of D. Inês de Castro, before fleeing for Spain, in one of the most known episodes of the portuguese history.
In the “freguesias” of Alvaiázere is possible to meet the antiquity through the pillories and of their churches. The religious spirit of this people is expressed in the legends that circulate from father to son, for many centuries.
Now a day, Alvaiázere is known by being the capital of the “chícharo”, a small vegetable, that has the same treatment of the bean, but it grows in arid lands. Alvaiázere is the perfect place to try this vegetable that is made by varied ways. Besides the “chícharo”, the cheese of the area is also know as a good product and also the pig meat, the kid goat and the suckling pig in the oven. All of this may be accompanied with the excellent wine of the region. “Bride's cake” is the favourite candy of the people and of their visitors. A true trip in the time, where is possible to know more about the rich history of the council, passing through the best of its gastronomy, without forgetting the nature in all the places of Alvaiázere.
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