Oliveira do Hospital (Portuguese pronunciation:[ɔliˈvɐjɾɐðuɔʃpiˈtal]ⓘ) is a municipality in the district of Coimbra, in the central part of continental Portugal. The population in 2011 was 20,855,[1] in an area of 234.52 km².[2]
History
Oliveira do Hospital has seen human occupation dating back to the Neolithic, as seen from this example: the Dolmen of Pinheiro dos AbraçosThe Roman ruins in the civil parish of Bobadela
Inhabited by ancient civilizations, Oliveira do Hospital has Roman settlements, Visigothic relics, noble Gothic mansions as well as ancient villages built of slate. One can find Neolithic and Bronze Age burial grounds and genuine religious and rural relics such as the large granite outcroppings used as threshing floors, the Holy Cross Church and the Ferreiros Chapel, a Roman Gothic style temple dating to the 13th century and the Church of Sao Gião, known as the cathedral of its region due to its richly carved and painted 18th century Baroque interior.
Geography
It is located at the northern edge of the district of Coimbra in the foothills of the Serra da Estrela Mountains, bisected by the Alva and Alvoco River valleys. Administratively, the municipality is divided into 16 civil parishes (freguesias):[3]
Its fertile geographic position favors agriculture, which is the dominant activity of the region with wine and cheeses being important products.[citation needed] Regarding its business sector, confections, machine tools, packaging and toys are the most important.[citation needed] Oliveira do Hospital is known for its natural environment, cuisine, arts and crafts.[citation needed]
Transport
Although Oliveira do Hospital is well within the interior of the country, transportation services are quite adequate and have been increasing as befits a growing region. There are a number of roads to the coast and other cities, the best known being the scenic Estrada da Beira.
The Bridge with Three Entrances (Ponte das Três Entradas), a very rare three-way bridge, crosses the Alva River at Oliveira do Hospital.
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