DRAFT LAW NO. 705 / X / 4ª

ELEVATION OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MONTELAVAR, IN THE CONCELHO OF

SINTRA, TO THE CATEGORY OF VILLAGE

Exhibition of reasons

I. Of The Historical-Geographic Framework Montelavar is a hamlet situated in the northern area of the Concelho de Sintra, the seat of the Freguesia of the same name since the sixteenth century, by patriarchal dispatch dated 1538. It is bordered to the northwest by the freguery of Cheleiros (concelho de Mafra) and by the freguesia of Church Nova (concelho de Mafra), the spring born by the freguesia of Pêro Pinheiro (concelho de Sintra), the South and Poente by the freguesia of Terrugem (the concelain of Sintra). Occupying an area of 9.40 Km², even though it is considered a rural freguesia, Montelavar is, fundamentally, an industrial region. The exploration, the cutting, the singing and the artwork of the ornamental rocks, with particular highlight for the marble, made Montelavar one of the great centres of this industry, both on the national and international level. In parallel, they grew up around the ornamental rock industry other industries associated with it, such as metalomechanics, machines and tools, industrial carpentry, etc. The great development of construction-which has acquired rampant rhythms, not least in the sixties, seventy and eighty of the twentieth century-in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, alongside a quality recognition of the work of cantry and the marbles of the zone at the international level, which has made increasing exports, has come to bring Montelavar the modernization of the factories, the specialization of its laborers, creating a labour dynamic that is maintained up to the days of today. The freguesia currently counts on more than three hundred active companies and emploing about three thousand people. It is mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, although there are also some of a larger size.

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The population of Montelavar currently rounds out the five thousand inhabitants, although this figure could present substantially increased in the next Censuses , as they are several of the families who have, in recent years, been fixed in the region. A little bit of the History of Montelavar 1. From Prehistory to Romanization

The abundance of nascent and current waters, the existence of scholarships

fertile land in its valleys and the geomorphology of its territory-where if

highlight the fields of lapiás, that constitute true natural shelters-

must have contributed to the human occupation of the region, right from the pre-

history.

However, and very much by virtue of the exploitation of the marble, with opening of

numerous quarries and consequent deposit of waste, the changes

territorial carried out for centuries in the Freguesia of Montelavar were

avuled and that, we would say, came for certain to conceal or destroy,

irretrievably, the hypothetical existing archaeological vestiges-cremos

that in abundance-in the region.

What from prehistory has gathered, to this day, in the territory of the freguesia,

were avulous materials, some lithic, osteological and ceramic elements,

want around the lapiás of the Granja of the Serrons, mainly, on the site of the

Outerer, very likely a fortification castreja.

Taken as the genesis of the hamlet of Montelavar, the Outeiro site belongs today

to a neighboring freguesia, that of Pêro Pinheiro.

Unlike in relation to prehistory, the Roman occupation of the

territory is quite well documented, with avultees found

archaeological in the region and which today are part of the important estate's important estate

The Archaeological Museum of St. Michael of Odrinhas.

The villae roman from the Granja of the Serrons is one of the archaeological stations more

notables of the concelain of Sintra, with respect to this historical period. In

1944 and 1945, two campaigns of excavations have been carried out that allowed

discover Roman structures and the high Middle Ages very significant, and that

attest to the human occupation of the territory in a continuity that goes, by the

less, from the middle of the 1st century AD, to the end of the XI century, in full occupation

Muslim.

In fact, the entire surrounding regional archaeological context leads us to suppose

that Montelavar has suffered a strong romanization, at least since

mid-first century BC, and maybe even before. But the vestiges

more ancient documented dating from the first century after Christ. Are

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them various lapidary inscriptions, in an avulated set of copies, which

provide us with valuable data on these ancestral inhabitants of

Montelavar, as names of persons and families, personal data and relations

between people, notions about the cult of the dead, etc.

Integral, and important, of the agri of the so-called Olisiponense Municipality, the

region of Montelavar is part of a hoop, constituted by the territories of the

current freguesias of Collars, Saint John of the Lamps, Terrugem, Pêro Pinheiro

and Montelavar, whose roman presence is heavily documented.

From the epigraphic testimonies discovered in the region, featured for the ensemble

of the Granja of the Serrons and, also, on the limits of Abremum , in a total of more

of two dozen monuments that today help to tell the History of the

concelho from Sintra, as they are conserved in the Archaeological Museum of Saint

Miguel de Odrinhas.

Other materials from the Roman era were also found in the region,

particularly the ceramics. It is the case of a fragment of mouth and start-up

of wing of an ankle, datable of the I/II century AD, of peninsular manufacture and that

served to transport fish paste, discovered only in a collection of

surface in 1983. Archaeological excavations in this place will be able,

certainly, put the uncovered other congenic materials.

2. From the Middle Ages to the constitution of the freguesia

After the fall of the Roman empire and the arrival of the barbarian peoples, the structure

social and economic of the territory that constitutes, today, the Freguesia of Montelavar,

is not to have changed much.

Romanization has had a rather pronounced repercussion throughout this area,

leaving in the people a fundamental legacy for their life, for their culture

and for your History. In fact, the Romans came to teach new techniques

agricultural, brought new tools and new plantings, opened roads and

paths, offered the luscious tribes a new language and a new system

of teaching. They have mainly incued a new administrative spirit, a new

modus vivendi .

Therefore, when here they arrived, the visigodos will have found a people

organized, with sufficient means of subsistence and able to feed the

their communities. And, for certain, they must have framed themselves right within this

people from the montelavarese fields, where the valleys are fertile and the water

abundant. Also the visigodos were a people of agriculturists and grazing,

less given to the arts that the Romans, is certain, but with the same attachment to the

land.

Incidentally, the same happens with all this northern territory of the concelho of Sintra,

the so-called "charneca saloia" and which covers several freguesies. For that, let's

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find some traces of this period in São João das Lampas, na

Terrugem, in Pêro Pinheiro, Almargin of the Bishop and, of course, in Montelavar. If

well that the freguesia deserved more archaeological excavations as we judge

that much there is, still, to discover, and the extraction of the stone for centuries

has damaged, for certain, many of the sites with an interest in the history of the

place, the station of the Granja of the Serrons-of which we have already spoken-also brought the

public some materials from this period, as well as from the following, the period

Arabic.

Coming from North Africa, the Moors invade the Iberian Peninsula in 711.

Commanded by Tarik, defeats the last godo king, D. Rodrigo, on the margins

of the Guadalquivir. And, in a rapid-age outbreak, they occupy, in a few short years, large

part of the peninsular territory. The Sintra, will have arrived the Arabs around

713, that is, just two years after that battle.

Extricate farmers, accustomed to extracting from poor land their crops,

have found in this territory, abundant in waters and fertile soils, a

true terreal paradise. Agricultural developments in this period were very much

significant for the gents that inhabited the region, the moçArabs, i.e. the

Christians inhabitants of the camp, the çaharoi , Arabic term that would give rise to the

word " saloio " .

It was the introduction of new crops, in particular citrus fruits, of new techniques

of carrot, with new ploughs and new cultivation methods; of regadio, as the

daughter-in-law and the picota; cereal and olive grinding techniques, such as the azenha, the

pision and the windmill; anyway, a set of new technologies that

have made progressing, in a rather steep way, the existing rural world.

Civilization cults, it gave us also the Arabic numeracy that, still today,

we used it, brought us a new artistic perspective and made us evolve

enough in the scientific plan. It would suffice for that to check the reports of the

synthian region carried out by several Arab geographers, as are the cases of

Edrici, Al Bacr or Alumini Alhimiari.

Today, there still remains a lot of this culture among us. Just analyze the

toponymia, the linguajar saloio, and good part of the Portuguese vocabulary. Part

member of the ancient Freguesia of Montelavar, before the separation in 1988,

was the settlement of Morelena, grafted on old documents like Mourelena ,

therefore, land of moors.

In 1154, the first king of Portugal gave Letter from Foral to Sintra,

constituting the municipality and dividing it into the freguesias of St. Peter de

Canaferrim, Saint Martin, Santa Maria and St. Michael. And Montelavar has been, since

the Foundation of nationality, integrated into the freguesia of Santa Maria, until

make freguesia autonomous as early as the sixteenth century.

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However, the first time that arises the name of Montelavar in documents

old is in a " Tresside of the limitus, and demarcation of the Churches of the Villa de

Cintra ", report to a document from the thirteenth century, more properly

1253, and which establishes the parochial division of that time. Without large

surprise, the toponym appears grafted "mount Alavar", very close to the

current and will have its root in "target", "alvar", "alvor" , after all white,

of course, probably by the quality of the stone that predominates in the region, the

white marble.

In addition to the toponyms described in it, you are left to know, through that

document that, quite close to Rebanque-one of the villages that serves as a limit

to the ancient parish of Santa Maria-existed a "hereditatem Templariorum", or

be, a herty belonging to the Order of Templars. Although it is

easily explainable the existence of this property in the possession of the Templars,

it does not cease to be significant that she would stay, most likely, within the

limits of the territory that would come to constitute the Freguesia of Montelavar.

In fact, about two years after he gave Foral to Sintra, D. Afonso

Henriques hands the village to the Order of the Templars, in 1156, making it his

grand-master D. Gualdim Pais the first commendator of Sintra. Between the

several merces that the king made to the Order, were a couple houses in the village, the renown

of the judiaria, and in the Term of Sintra gave them several courellas, mats, azenhas,

etc. One is left to know that, close to Rebanque, it was located a

templary property, for certain with some dimension and importance.

During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Montelavar and its population must have

progressed quite a lot, as these were years of peace and prosperity in all

the country. With an economy based, above all, on agriculture, it is likely that

have existed in that time already some singles workshops and, for certain, some

extraction of marble stone. It is quite likely, until, that this already happened

from the time of the Romans.

The Black Plague of 1348 came to end this cycle of abundance and

prosperity. Datery of this time the foundation of the Albergaria and Hospital de

Montelavar, exemplary institution of social solidarity.

However, concerning the fourteenth century, there is documentation that can assist us

in the knowledge of the history of Montelavar. In 1342, Domingos Bartholomew and

Catalina Joanes, residents in the Mastrunks, were renders of the " Cassal of

Erty " , belonging to the Monastery of Saint Vincent de Fora, and located in the said

place.

In 1354, Sancha Martins, resident in the village of Sintra and with chapel in the Church

of St. Martin, left for sustenance of this chapel a couple in Montelavar.

Another testament of undeniable interest to the region is that of João Eanes

Garcese, from Montelavar, made on April 4, 1391, a document that comes

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reinforce the conviction that, in Montelavar, the primitive church was dedicated to

Santa Maria and already existed in at least 1348. By the way, just check the

existing documentation on the Hospital and Albergaria, to realize this

even, with the constitution of the Confraria de Santa Maria, founder and

administrator of that institution, and formed by layered confrades around

of the church of Montelavar. João Eanes Garcese, in his will, sends that the

your body be buried in the "cermiterio de santa maria", leaving for such " the

adicta igreia " the competent appropriation to so proceed.

After the Interregno crisis of 1383-1385, the region of Montelavar will have lived

a thriving moment. The great works in the Paço de Sintra, carried out

by D. João I, will have, most likely, used marble and manpower

montelavarense, as Montelavar has evolved quite a lot during the century

XV. Such economic and social growth led to that in the finals of

four hundred, if they were to start raising the voices of the locals, with a view to

constitute Montelavar as a head of freguesia and autonomous parish.

However, this will only have happened in the sixteenth century, being to admit, as more

likely, which occurred in the year 1538. The campaign of works in the Paço

of Sintra, carried out by King D. Manuel I, must have contributed to the improvement

of life of the population of Montelavar, notably for those who if

they found bound to the craft of the canastery, and that growth gave strength and

authority to the population to demand the deannexation of the parish of Santa

Mary and the creation of an autonomous parish.

Dating from the first barracks of the sixteenth century the works of the Church of Montelavar

that, also by that time, most likely simultaneously with the

creation of the parish and freguesia, must have changed the epiphany for Our

Lady of Purification.

At present, the matrix church has a side facade with a curious

alpendre, flaunting still a sundial dating from 1813. In the interior, from

one single nave, stands out the capel-mor of moth manuelina.The harmonious

set starts in the triumphal, gothic arch, decorated to rosettes, lingering

by the chapel, lined with seventeenth-century tiles and covered by a pumpd of

two tramos, based on mishules. On the walls of the ship run lambris from

carpet type tiles. Fix an altar to Our Lady of the Piousness dated from

1789.

After wide kerel and many court documents produced over the course

of the times, in 1517 a Queen D. Leonor finally gave definitive sentence

about the couple of Sancha Martins, in Montelavar, that she had donated to the Church

from St. Martin of Sintra in 1354. In 1538, the Tombo from the

properties belonging to the said couple. This need to identify and

measure its properties, on the part of the vicar of Saint Martin, may have

been forced by the constitution of the new parish of Montelavar. What if if

cater to the high number of plots of land, courets, sawn, houses,

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corrals and horts that constitute the legacy, in a total of sixty-one,

we perceive the economic importance that this represented.

3. From the Restaurant to the Republic

During the Philippine occupation, Portugal went through one of the periods more

obscure of your History. With the court in Madrid, the country fell asleep in the long

of pennants sixty years, remitted to the dubious status of a simple

province spanish, whose effects felt also in the concelain of Sintra.

Accustomed to the fausement and the lights of the court, namely during the seasons

of veraneio, Sintra has in fact lost a lot of its shine. By consequence,

also the people of the region will have suffered from this absence. The farmers saw

in the stay of the nobles and the king an excellent opportunity to sell the

your products. The craftsmen had guaranteed work in the works, whether from the Paço

Real, either in the palacetes and solar of the nobles that settled in Sintra.

And neither Portugal's Restaurant, which occurred on December 1, 1640, returned

that status of village realenga the Sintra. The first times were wars

continuous with Spain. The Paço de Sintra served, even, from prison to the unfortunate

D. Afonso VI. But despite this perish of concealment for the entire concelain,

Montelavar kept an activity still quite interesting. Just

see the "Tombo of the goods and fazemdas of the montelauar hospital", carried out in

1680 by the disembarker, ouvidor and provider of the Comarch of Alenquer, the

doctor Gonçalo Vaz Preto. Through that document it is apparent that, despite

a certain anarchy in the management of these goods, they surrender enough to

keep the hospital and the hostel up and running.

In 1716, more precisely to November 21 of that year, by order of the king

D. João V, the judge from outside of Sintra, Damian Correia Leitão, gives account of the

existing places in the concelho. With regard to the Montelavar freguesia, it says

so the document:

" Freguezia de Montelavar has the following places: Monte Lavar: Masceyra;

Arrebanque; Anssos; Outer; Make; Cortegassa; Mourellena; Palmeyros; Pero

pinheiro; Abremum; Ribeira do farello; Barreyro; and the following casaiz: Hermida;

Cabessa; Abigueria; The gosmoz; Das vivaci; Granja of the Serroens; County: "

The eighteenth century turned out to be an important period for the montelavarese and,

again, through the actual works, of this made the construction of the grandiose

palace-convent of Mafra. In fact, many were the craftsmen of the region that there

worked, not only the singles masters of the freguesia of Montelavar-e

also of the neighbouring freguesies of the Terrugem and of Saint John of the Lampas-

as another type of manpower. Also the supply of the crowd of

laborers who worked in this work came to bring about, for certain, an improvement of

life to the farmers of the region.

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In the book Portuguese Corography, of Carvalho da Costa, published in 1712, there are

a rather interesting list of the freguesia:

" N. Lady of the Porification of Montelavar, Curated annexo to the Church of S. Miguel

of Cintra, has the following places. Montelavar, with huma Ermida do Espirito

Saint, where ha hum Hospital with rents to agasalt the poor;

Mourelena with huma Ermida de N. Lady of Conceyction on the fifth of Miguel

Rebello, the one which founded Manoel Gil de Sousa; Outeyro, Pero pinheyro, Pé da

Sarra, The County, Maceyra, Armis (sic), Arrebãque, Murgalhal, Ribeyra of the

Pennies, Ansos, Urmal, Cortegaça, with huma Ermida de N. Madam da

Salvation, & the fifth of the Granja with huma ermida of N. Lady of Nazareth,

who founded Iacome da Costa de Loureyro, & a ended up in the anno of 1701.

Sebastiao de Carvalho, Lord of the dictate fifth, with the motive of apappearing nella

the image of N. Lady that alli retains by obnovering prodigious miracles. "

Date of this early eighteenth century the Cruzeiro de Montelavar that, still today,

can be admired on the wide of the freguish headquarters. The inscription it contains, is

enlightening about who ordered to run it in the year 1714.

They are of this time, late eighteenth century, some works of the freguesia. That's it

example the cruise that is in front of the Capela of the Holy Spirit and what date

of 1774. Also the so-called Source of the Siguemaker, situated next to the lapiás from the

Maceira, boasts the date of 1788.

The passage of the Royal Road, which connected Lisbon to Mafra by the interior of the

freguesia of Montelavar, was structurant for the development of the region.

This route of communication with the capital came to develop the local trade,

supported and sustained by the travelers who were circulating on that road, came to give

a strong increment to the localities of the freguesia. But the Real Road too

served to relocate the troops during the Civil War that put the country

iron and fire, during the struggles between liberals and miguelists. There is news of

moves and aquartelments of regiments in the region, in that period

fateful of our History.

To mark the times of the Civil War, there is a singel, but important,

monument in the Freguesia of Montelavar: the so-called Cross of the Moth.

In the popular architecture, there remain in the Freguesia of Montelavar some

copies of the nineteenth century that matter to record. Are example the Moinho da

Costa, dating from 1821. It is curious that, with the development of the industry of

extraction and serration of the marble operated in this century, the mills-of water and

of wind-have served as a driving force for sawing the large blocks of

stone. The proving it was an inscription, still existing in 1953, which

said the following;

" Fabrica powered by Serration wind

of Stone and Moeing, by Joaquim V. Albogas.

Year of 1898 "

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During the nineteenth and inproceedings of the twentieth century, works of decoration arise from the

façades of the region's saloias houses, pieces made by singles also from the

region, highlighting the sunglasses and sun watches, identified in a study

by Isabel Maria Mendes Xavier and José Valente Lopes, entitled " Singing

coarse ornamented in the saloia sub-area of the Montelavar marbles region-

Pear Pinheiro (Concelho de Sintra) ", published in the book Ethnology of the Region

Saloia-The Diversity of Quotidiano, meeting of the communications presented

to the I Colloquium of Etnography of the Saloia Region in 1993.

On the work of the stone during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the relationship between this

region and the capital, say these researchers:

" Without the singing coming from the saloia region, in particular the marble lioz, the calcareous

red and pink from the sub-region of Montelavar-Pêro Pinheiro and the stone

chanfana, yellow and soft, Lisbon would not have built itself in the same way, and would have

certainly another aspect. On the other hand, without the capital, the saloia region does not

would contain spaces and specialized populations in that type of production and by way of

of that would manually present less variety and richness of singing.

The marbles region of Montelavar-Pêro Pinheiro, by virtue of the quantity and

better quality of its stone, the lioz and the diverse reds, roses and

yellow, was the area that turned and specialized in the stone washbasin,

mainly in the second half of the nineteenth century, relegating agricultural activity

for simple economic complement. "

In fact, these decorative elements of the popular saloia architecture

stretch out a little bit all over the region. In what concerne à Freguesia of

Montelavar, these authors identify several sun watches-in Montelavar,

Maceira, Bombasins and Mastrontas-as well as glasses, elements used

to provide light to the interior of the houses, and other decorative elements,

cantaries, sinks and pials, in a veritable showcase of the art of canoners so

notorious in the region.

In the late nineteenth century, more precisely in 1890, it is born in Montelavar

another institution that would mark, up to our days, the social pathway and

cultural of the freguesia-the Philharmonic Society Good Union Montelavarense.

He reigned, therefore, D. Carlos I when he was born this agremition. Says the tradition,

to the lack of more ascertained study, which will have been born from the demonstrations

street cultural, namely the typical carnavalesque blindings that

marred that festive season all over the region.

But this associative movement has, at this time, in Montelavar a strong

social connotation. The operariate, already quite attentive to your rights and

organised in trade unions and graces, gained ground in the political landscape and

social of then, whose ideals were distinctly pro-republican. The Society

Philharmonic Good Union Montelavarense will have behaved, in its genesis, that

tradition and that idealism of the region's laborers.

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When it came to the Republic, it found in the gents of the Freguesia of

Montelavar a strong support and solidarity. Incidentally, Montelavar will have even

celebrated the birth of the Republic in Portugal one day earlier, at 4 from

October 1910.

The former Albergaria and Hospital de Montelavar

The albergaria of Montelavar was, during centuries, one of the most important

social institutions of the concelain of Sintra. Their action has been extended, by the

less, for about six hundred years, vocated for the support of the most

in need and for medical assistance to the population, not only from the region of

freguesia but, equally, to many other people coming from the freguesias

neighboring, including some from the current Mafra concelho.

The Albergaria of Montelavar functioned in full already in the far-off year 1348

and, most likely, thanks to the testament of owner Quittery and the renters

coming from there, progressed and improved your loans, in a social assistance

continued for several centuries. This proves him, to a certain extent, the " Tombo and

measurement of the properties of Albergaria " , made, in 1680, by the provider

of the Comarch of Alenquer, to which the concelain of Sintra belonged at the time.

We offer you, too, this document, the location of the "cazas of the hospital" ,

well as of the "cazas of the hostel" and still "the Caza of the Holy Spirit" , all

them separately, very though united in properties that partied a

with the others. But on the other hand, nothing tells us about the functioning of the

institution.

From then on, the documents regarding Albergaria and Hospital de

Montelavar are scarce and refer, for the most part, to elections for

Table of Confraria.

You are familiar with an act of 1798, more precisely from March 19 of that year,

where the confrades gathered "in the cazas of the agreements" , on the grounds

from "elect to the ofisiaes that hande serving in the said Hospital", and so if

proceeded, where if " will emit for Juis Joze Francisco Franco from the place of

Montelavar for procurator

Roque Jorge from the said place to Provider Francisco Luis from the said place of

Montelavar. "

There is also a note of elections in 1829 for the managers ' bodies of the Hospital,

with minutes washed on the November 1 of that year, where " in Meza redonda se

proceeded to Elleition and appointment of new officers who will serve in the same

hospital the prezent anno and receive the interest and lights of the anno preterite of a thousand eight

centos and twenty eight this according to your commendavel custom and logo elegerã for

Provider to Manoel Pedrozo and to Judge to Francisco Luis Caetano both from

Montelavar and for Prosecutor the Reverend Father Francisco Luis de Pero

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Pine trees which all foron approved to more vottos and made so to dictate

Elletion to housummer by good firm and valioza ".

II. Of Cultural Heritage and other Locations of Interest

Montelavar Matrix Church -In its beginnings, the church of Montelavar

would be dedicated to Saint Mary, not knowing, to the right, what the date of your

foundation, although it already existed in 1348. Dating from the first barracks of the century

XVI the works of the present Church of Montelavar and that, also by that time,

very probably in simultaneous with the creation of the parish and freguesia,

must have changed the epiphany for Our Lady of Purification.

At present, the matrix church has a side facade with a curious

alpendre, flaunting still a sundial dating from 1813. In the interior, from

one single nave, stands out the capel-mor of moth manuelina.The harmonious

set starts in the triumphal, gothic arch, decorated to rosettes, lingering

by the chapel, lined with seventeenth-century tiles and covered by a pumpd of

two tramos, based on mishules. On the walls of the ship run lambris from

carpet type tiles. Fix an altar to Our Lady of the Piousness dated from

1789.

.

Unfortunately, it will have disappeared a quinhentist painting that represented

Saint Martin, Santa Luzia and Santa Catarina, which very would enrich the estate

of this church, which counts, still, with a large processional cross and a

crucifix, dating from the XVIII century. The liturgical party celebrates on February 2

-also called the party of Our Lady of Candeias or Our Lady

of the Light-and commemorates the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary after the birth of

Jesus Christ.

Montelavar Cruise -Date of the beginning of the eighteenth century the Cruzeiro de

Montelavar that, even today, can be admired on the wide of the thirst of freguesia,

dated 1714.

Chapel of the Holy Spirit -Your foundation remains an enigma, for lack

of documentation that proves it. However, the Confraria of Santa Maria, which

managed the Hospital and Albergaria de Montelavar, already carried out the " voor of

Holy Esprito " , in the distant year of 1348.

To the right, it is known that the houses of the Holy Spirit existed in 1680, although the

moth that the chapel presents at present is distinctly setecentist, much

probably exit from a petition that the confrades of Albergaria

solicited, in 1753, to erect chapel of their own and to have chaplain to their

costs.

Overlooking the main door, stands out a radiant delta-the Eye of God-and

the dove of the Holy Spirit. In front of the façade, there is a dated cruise

of 1774.

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Cross of the Moth- About the Cross of the Moth, the legend and the story confuse himself

between the truth and the popular tradition. Says the people who there will have been mugged,

raped and killed a lass in the times of the Civil War between liberals and

absolutists, much though the date of the monument is later than that

period.

The modest monument, in stone of the region, is 95 cm in height by 46 of

width. In relief, a cross over peidery. The cross, with 53 cm in height, has

rounded up convexely the angles of its highest part and extremity

of the arms. In the spider, which such as the arms of the cross and its top, reaches the

stone boundaries and is 42 cm in height, are engraved the letters P.N.A.M.

(Father Our Avé Maria) and the date of 1845.

Fountain of Siguemaker- This singlet fountain, of clear waters that run

seamlessly, to make remembering the stroke of tears or the passage

irreversible of time, is situated next to the lapiás of the Maceira and boasts the

date of 1788.

Well recovered, shape with the set of rocky afloraments and the woods

typical of the region, an aprazible recanto that matters to visit.

Stone of the Figueira- In the typical village of Maceira, right in the middle of a wide,

peg a curious rocky aflorment, to which the people gave the name of Stone

of the Figueira, since, from the cimo of the rock, was born an ancestor fig.

Lapiás of the Granja of the Serrons- It is one of the most important lapiás fields

of the country and one of the most important archeological stations in the county of

Sintra, which has raised materials from the 1st century A.D. to the eleventh century, in a

singular record of human permanence in the region.

Lapiás de Maceira -Of a smaller size than its congenere of the

Granja of the Serrons, the field of lapiás de Maceira lies together with the Source of the

Siguemaker.

Mill of the Coast - It is one of the many buildings that symbolise architecture

popular saloia from the region, situated close to the village of Anthem. The

comprove your ancestry, there is the date of 1821.

III. Of Demographic Characterization

The territory that constitutes today the Freguesia of Montelavar has had an occupation

human continuada, from the most remote times to the topicality, in a

always constant presence that has contributed, in a lot, to the consolidation of the

spirit of the place .

Large in its territorial dimension, up to 1988, height in which the settlement of

Pear Pinheiro is constituted of freguesia and the territory fragments, the

Freguesia de Montelavar saw its population grow paulatinously.

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Ordered by Letter Régia de D. João III surges us, in 1527, the first census known. In relation to the territory of the Freguesia of Montelavar, two vintentions were pointed out: that of Montelavar (which encompassed several couples around) and that of Cortegaça. But the vintentions of Mastrontas and of Armez also encompassed settlements belonging to the Freguesia of Montelavar, although there is no detailed description of the places that comprised each vintena. Another document that presents a population perspective of Sintra and, by addition, of the freguesia of Our Lady of the Purification of Montelavar, is known by the name of "Walks of Runa" and date of 1728.

Freguesia of Montelavar (1728)

Vintena Inhabitants Tributo (in rrings)

Vintena de Montelavar 115 9,340

Vintena de Cortegaça 46 8,380

Total 161 to 17,720

In 1758, three years after the earthquake and certainly because of the devastation that this disaster provoked in the kingdom, Sebastião José de Carvalho and Melo, the Marquis of Pombal, ordered to carry out the calls "Parochial Memories" , a very thorough interrogation sent to the courtyards so that these will inquire into the population and respond with the utmost rigor and expediency possible. In 1838, it was published a "Cintra Pinturesca" , pioneering book in the Sintrense historiography and written by the Viscount of Juromenha, where data on the population of the Montelavar freguesia are found. Within the territory of the freguesia, the settlement of Montelavar was the largest of all, with 112 fires, following Maceira with 69 and Pêro Pinheiro with 40. In 1970, the Freguesia of Montelavar had 7,399 inhabitants, of which 3,847 men and 3,552 women. It was the most populous of all the rural freguesies of the county of Sintra, only overtaken by the so-called urban freguesias of Rio-Mouro, Algueira-Mem Martins, Agualva-Cacém, Belas and Queluz. On March 11, 1988, with the creation of the Freguesia of Pêro Pinheiro, Montelavar pervates much of its territory and, consequently, its

population. According to the data of the Censuses , Montelavar had 3,633 inhabitants, in 1991, and 3,650, in 2001.

However, and according to recent estimates, the population of the freguesia will have

increased already exponentially, calculating your number much

close to the 6,000 inhabitants.

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IV. Of Collective Equipment

With respect to the requirements required by Article 12 of Law No. 11/82 of June 2, the settlement of Montelavar fulfills them in full, pore, in the area of collective equipment, it counts with a pharmacy, a socio-cultural centre, an auditorium, with capacity for 330 people, a municipal gimnosports pavilion, a multi-purpose sports centre, public transport, post office, commercial establishments, a 2º school and 3º cycles of the basic education, a school of the 1º cycle of teaching basic, bank agency and Volunteer Fire barracks. It has, still, a kindergarten of the public network, a Paroquial Center, a Convivius Center for Elderly, a children's park, as well as a municipal market and a cemetery.

Still under construction, it is also a Community Centre, with the Lar Valleys, Centre for Day and Home Support.

V. Of Economic Activities

Although it is considered a rural freguesia, Montelavar is, fundamentally, an industrial region. The exploration, the cutting, the singing and the artwork of the ornamental rocks, with particular highlight for the marble, made Montelavar one of the great centres of this industry, both on the national and international level. Funerary art is one of the heavily sought market segments in Montelavar, either for the domestic market or external. The work of the singles is, increasingly, valued and wanted for artwork, as well as that of marble settlement. The sculpture has for a long time been a prominent place in Montelavar, being known the works of local sculptors over the centuries and, with greater emphasis, on topicality. Around the ornamental rock industry developed other industries to it associated, such as metalomechanics, machines and tools, industrial carpentry, etc. The great development of construction-which has acquired rampant rhythms mainly in the sixties, seventy and eighty of the twentieth century-in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, alongside a quality recognition of the work of cantry and the marbles of the zone at the international level, which has made increasing exports, has come to bring Montelavar the modernization of the factories, the specialization of its laborers, creating a labour dynamic that is maintained up to the days of today. Montelavar currently counts on more than three hundred active companies and employing around three thousand people. It is mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, although there are also some of a larger size.

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In addition to this, Montelavar also counts various civil construction companies and public works, from the manufacture of furniture to kitchen and bathroom and other equipment for construction. As for the sector of the trade, maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, they are installed, in Montelavar, two multi-brand sales stands and a concessionaire-auto Mitsubishi. In the retail sector, two supermarkets are installed, various minimmarkets and groceries, bakeries, fishmongers, frozen product shops, of computer and electrical supplies, of building materials, of furniture for kitchen and home of bath, carpentry, textiles and clothing, sports items, rations and animal feed, an ourivesaria/joalharia/relojewellery, stationery and tablets, florists and various

establishments of the type " bazar ". In the area of catering and similar, Montelavar has diverse restaurants, cafes, shops ready-to-eat and various pastry shops, including two with own manufacture. In the area of services, there are in the locality various real estate agencies, insurance agencies, documentation and accounting agencies, informatics services, various hair salons and aesthetics, barbershops, footwear repair shops, a typography, lottery agencies and other gambling and a funerary agency. There is, still, medical and dental clinic, laboratory of clinical analysis, an acupuncture office and a training centre in manual arts.

VI. Of Transport and Acessibilities Montelavar has a good network of public transport and road links serving the destinations of Mafra, Sintra and Lisbon. It has direct accessibility to the motorway network, notably to A8 and A9 (CREL), through the Supplementary Itineraries IC30, IC16 and IC19 and link to IC21.

VII. From Collectivities and Associations In Montelavar, the historical associativism of its gents has made proliferating, over the times, large number of associations and collectivities. In addition to the "Philharmonic Society Good Union Montelavarense", where a broad cultural activity develops, through a music school, a philharmonic band, a light orchestra, an amateur theatre group-"Cénico The Stubborn group"-and a choral group-"Cantares of the Mount"-there are other associative, sporting and recreational organizations, specifically: Football Club "The Montelavarenses" Group "The Friends of the North"

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The Association of the Volunteer Firefighters of the Freguesia of Montelavar's Commission of Festas de S. Matthew

VIII. Of Religious Traditions It is the following the festivities and religious traditions that take place, annually, in the settlement of Montelavar: the Feast of Our Lady of the Purification-February 2 Procession of the Lord of the Passes and Celebration of Easter Festas of the Divine Spirit Saint-June Festa de São Mateus-third week of September.

IX. Legal Criteria and Conclusions

The regime for the creation and extinction of local authorities and of designation and determination of the category of settlements, initially regulated by Law No. 11/82 of June 2, has meanwhile been deeply altered. The freguess-raising scheme is now regulated by Law No. 8/93 of March 5, with the amendments introduced by Law No. 51-A/93 of July 9, by remaining in the initial law the requirements for the designation and determination of the category of the stands. The settlement of Montelavar brings together all the legal requirements, in particular those provided for in Article 12 of the already cited law, in addition to important reasons of historical, cultural and architectural nature, to be able to be elevated to the category of Vila. In these terms, and still for the socio-economic order motifs stated, the Member of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party, below signed, presents, under the applicable constitutional, legal and regimental provisions, the following Project of Law:

SINGLE ARTICLE The settlement of Montelavar in the concelho of Sintra is elevated to the category of Vila. Lisbon, Assembly of the Republic, March 27, 2009

The Member

(Ana Couto)