Azambuja

The Arabs later named this land Azzabuja (Brave Olive Grove), before it was reconquered by King Afonso Henriques in 1147 and subsequently granted to Sir Childre Rolim (or Don Xira, as he was known), who named it Vila Franca. The name Vila Franca de Xira, which was derived from this knight recognised for his heroism and the aid he provided during the Siege of Lisbon, later became associated with another territory that Sir Childre Rolim settled and developed. The name given by the Arabs, Azzabuja, thus returned to this reconquered town, which became known as Azambuja, receiving a charter from King Sancho I in 1200, later confirmed by King Afonso II in 1218 and in 1513, by King Manuel. In 1531, the town of Azambuja was badly damaged by a large earthquake.

Situated in a territory of great topographic and landscape diversity, Azambuja consists mainly of small villages that which make up its seven parishes. Commissioned by the Marquis of Pombal in 1748 to irrigate farmland, the Vala Real de Azambuja channel is 26 kilometres long and connects Azambuja to the Tagus River.

In the north, the main economic activity is agriculture, intensive polyculture and is family-based. The southern region is marked by fertile, verdant plains known as "lezírias," where herds of horses and wild cattle roam - a land intimately linked to the world of bullfighting, the "Festa Brava."

Alongside rural Azambuja, there is an industrial hub that benefits from its privileged location at the gateway to Greater Lisbon with easy access to the A1 motorway and excellent transport links, including a central bus station and a train station in the centre of the city. These conditions have fostered an industrial Azambuja that has attracted national and international investment from companies that have contributed to the region’s economic and social development, mainly through the creation of new job opportunities.

Azambuja boasts a rich heritage, including prehistoric sites like Castro de Vila Nova de São Pedro, a fortified settlement classified as a national monument. The village of Manique do Intendente is home to several monuments, including the unfinished Church-palace, which is the only one of its kind in Portugal.

A land of humble and welcoming people, the cuisine highlights the cheese and bread from Maçussa, best enjoyed with a good wine locally produced wine.