Amadora facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amadora
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Portugal
Region	Lisbon
Metropolitan area	Lisbon
District	Lisbon
Parishes	6
Area
• Total	23.78 km2 (9.18 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	171,719
• Density	7,221.2/km2 (18,703/sq mi)
Time zone	WET/WEST (UTC+0/+1)

Amadora is a lively city and municipality located in the northwest part of the Lisbon metropolitan area in Portugal. It's only about 10 kilometers (6 miles) away from the center of Lisbon. In 2011, Amadora had a population of over 175,000 people living in an area of about 23.78 square kilometers (9.2 square miles). This makes it one of the largest and most densely populated cities in Portugal.

History of Amadora

Ancient Times and Early Settlements

There is strong evidence that people lived in the Amadora area a very long time ago, during the Neolithic period. This was around 3000 BCE, which is about 5,000 years ago! The Necropolis of Carenque is a special place with three artificial caves. These caves were used as tombs for burials during that ancient time.

Amadora was first known by a different name: Porcalhota. This name came from a noble family who owned a large estate in the area.

The Aqueduct and City's Growth

The Aqueduto das Águas Livres is a huge aqueduct that brings water from the Sintra hills all the way to Lisbon. It stretches for 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) and was finished in the 1770s. This amazing structure includes the largest stone arch ever built, which is located nearby in Campolide. You can even see the aqueduct on Amadora's local coat of arms!

In 1907, the people living in the small communities of Porcalhota, Amadora, and Venteira asked to be united. King Carlos I agreed, and a special order was made to combine them into one town called Amadora.

First Airfield and City Status

Even though Amadora doesn't have an airport today, it once had the very first airfield in Portugal back in the 1920s. A famous Portuguese explorer, Admiral Gago Coutinho, made history when he took off from Amadora for the first flight from Portugal to Brazil!

Amadora officially became its own municipality on September 11, 1979. Before that, it was just a part of the Oeiras area. Just a few days later, on September 17, Amadora was given the important status of a city.

The city was also home to the Sorefame factory, which built railway cars. This factory closed in 2004, but it made most of the train carriages used by Portuguese Railways during the second half of the 20th century.

Geography and Location

Amadora is one of the biggest urban areas in Portugal. It is very close to Lisbon, almost like one big city. They share the same subway, bus, and train systems. Amadora is known for its many large apartment buildings, shopping centers, industrial zones, and even the main offices for some international companies.

Civil Parishes

For administrative purposes, the municipality of Amadora is divided into 6 smaller areas called civil parishes (or freguesias in Portuguese):

• Águas Livres
• Alfragide
• Encosta do Sol
• Falagueira-Venda Nova
• Mina de Água
• Venteira

Climate

Amadora has a Mediterranean climate (which is called Csa in the Köppen system). This means it has mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.

Economy and Business

Even though many people live in Amadora, it's also an important place for business. It has many commercial areas, factories, and the main offices for international companies that operate in Portugal.

Major Businesses and Shopping

You can find big stores like IKEA, Nokia, and Decathlon in Amadora. There are also large shopping centers such as Alegro, Continente, and Ubbo, which is one of the biggest shopping malls in Europe! Companies like Siemens and Roche also have their main offices here.

Amadora was once home to Sorefame, Portugal's national builder of railway cars, until it closed in 2004.

Transport System

Amadora has a very good public transport system that connects easily with the rest of the Lisbon metropolitan area. This makes it simple to travel around the city and to Lisbon.

Transport Options

• Metro: Amadora has 3 metro stations.
• Trains: The commuter Sintra Line has 3 stations in Amadora.
• Buses: There are two bus services, Carris Metropolitana and Carris.
• Motorways: Four major motorways (2ª Circular, CRIL, CREL, and IC-16) surround the city, making it easy to drive to other places.

Notable People from Amadora

Many interesting people have connections to Amadora, including artists, athletes, and other famous figures.

Marcelino da Mata, a highly decorated Portuguese Army officer.

Rui Costa, a famous retired footballer.

• Seomara da Costa Primo (1895 - 1986 in Amadora) - A professor of botany, a teacher, and an author of science textbooks for schools.
• Cruzeiro Seixas (1920 – 2020) - A talented artist who also wrote poetry.
• Maria José Valério (1933–2021) - A Portuguese singer known for popular music and fado (a traditional Portuguese music style).
• Marcelino da Mata (1940 in Ponte Nova – 2021 in Amadora) - A very brave and highly decorated officer in the Portuguese Army.
• João Baião (born 1963 in Buraca) - A well-known TV presenter, entertainer, and actor.
• José Miguel Ribeiro (born 1966 in Amadora) - A Portuguese film director.

Sport Stars

Amadora has also produced many talented athletes, especially in football!

• Jorge Jesus (born 1954) - A famous football manager and former player. He used to manage the Benfica team.
• Rui Costa (born 1972) - A retired football player who played in many club games and 94 games for the Portuguese national team.
• Vasco Matos (born 1980) - A retired professional footballer who played in over 400 club games.
• Diogo Silva (born 1983 in Amadora) - A Portuguese footballer with over 300 club games.
• Nani (born 1986) - A famous footballer who has played in almost 400 club games and 112 games for the Portuguese national team.
• Miguel Tavares (born 1993) - A volleyball player for the Portugal men's national volleyball team.
• Diana Silva (born 1995) - A footballer who plays for Aston Villa W.F.C. and the Portuguese women's national team.
• Rúben Dias (born 1997) - A footballer who plays for Manchester City F.C. and has played 37 games for the Portuguese national team.
• Renato Sanches (born 1997) - A footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and has played 32 games for the Portuguese national team.

Gallery

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  CRIL (Circular Regional Interior de Lisboa) in Amadora, Lisbon

• 

  Condos in the parish of Alfragide

• 

  Centro Ciência Viva da Amadora, Lisbon

• 

  Amadora, Lisbon Region

• 

  Damaia Main Train Station, Amadora

• 

  Amadora, Lisbon

• 

  Lisbon Metro in Alfornelos, Amadora

Culture

One of the most exciting cultural events in Amadora is the Amadora International Comics Festival. Every year, the city hosts this festival, which celebrates comics and graphic novels.

See also

In Spanish: Amadora para niños