Saturday, December 17, 2011

Holy Virgin, bidos

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Holy Virgin, bidos

Statue of St. Mary on the facade of Igreja da Misericrdia, bidos, Portugal.

bidos is a town (vila) of about 3100 inhabitants in central Portugal. The name of the town derives from the Latin word oppidum for fortified town. There was a settlement with the name Eburobrittium at this site already during the time of the Roman Empire. After the decline of the Roman empire the area was under control of the Visigoths until it was conquered by the Moors. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, recaptured it during the Reconquista in 1148. His grandson, King Afonso II, made the town a wedding present for his wife Urraca. Several other kings continued this custom, so that's why bidos is also called Vila das Rainhas (town of the queens).
bidos is a well-preserved example of medieval architecture and a popular tourist destination. Even today it is still surrounded by its old walls and the fortifications of the old castle.

Natur und Kultur in Mittelportugal (Nature and Culture in Mid-Portugal), Wikinger-Reisen, September 2011

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Igreja da Misericrdia, Portugal.bidos, Portugal, Afonso Henriques, St. Mary online, bidos, Roman Empire, Eburobrittium

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