Almada

Sister cities

• Rio de Janeiro
• Sal
• Regla
• Porto Amboim

History

Human presence in the area of Almada dates to the end of the Neolithic period about 5000 years ago; archeological excavations performed in the municipality suggest that non-sedentary nomadic tribes may have occupied this location sporadically. The gradual development of settlement here made its greatest advance with the coming of Islamic civilization, when Muslims constructed a fort at Almada to defend and monitor the entrance to the Tagus River. Lying across the river from Lisbon, the area of Almada was a crossroads for a succession of various peoples who traded along the Tagus, including Phoenicians, Romans and Moors. As one of the principal Arab military bases along the southern margin of the Tagus, Almada was conquered by the Christian forces of Afonso I with the aid of English Crusaders in 1147. Alongside these Christians there lived many free Moors and Jews, under the royal protection guaranteed them by Afonso I in the charter of 1170 (which applied to all the former Moorish strongholds at Lisbon, Almada, Palmela and Alcácer). Almada received a foral from King Sancho I in 1190, although it came at a price: Miramolim Jacub-Abu-Jassuf, son of the Moorish leader who had laid siege to Santarém in 1171, was angered by the Christian victories and gathered a large army. He boldly attacked in the north, conquering Alcácer do Sal and Silves, while forcing the residents of Almada, Palmela and other towns along the Tagus into hiding. It would be some time after the death of Sancho before this region would be restored to Portuguese control. When this event occurred with the success of the Reconquista in driving the Muslims out, the Order of Santiago, a donatorio of Almada after 28 October 1186, had an important role in the territory (especially between the Tagus and Sado…

Geography

Although small in area, the city of Almada has a large population. It is bounded to the southeast by Seixal, to the south by Sesimbra, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and northeast by the Tagus River. At Cacilhas, its main port, ferry boats transport visitors and local residents across to Lisbon daily, while the 25 de Abril Bridge, which spans the Tagus, is traversed by rail, commercial and personal vehicles daily. Almada is considered a transportation hub and a fast-growing suburb; its coast has several sandy beaches and panoramic vistas. Located in the district of Setúbal, the municipality includes two cities, Almada and Costa da Caparica, and is divided into five civil parishes: * Almada, Cova da Piedade, Pragal e Cacilhas * Caparica e Trafaria * Charneca de Caparica e Sobreda * Costa da Caparica * Laranjeiro e Feijó

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  37,759
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  35,248
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  33,248
• Spotless Starling

  Sturnus unicolor Temminck, 1820 · Aves
  25,853
• Black Redstart

  Phoenicurus ochruros (S.G.Gmelin, 1774) · Aves
  23,819
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  21,972
• European Serin

  Serinus serinus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  18,664
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  18,462

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2026-02-19
  4 km ENE of Sobral de Monte Agraço, Portugal
• M 4.8 — 2025-02-17
  1 km NE of Charneca de Caparica, Portugal
• M 5 — 2024-08-26
  56 km W of Sines, Portugal
• M 3.3 — 2021-03-18
  0 km SSW of Santa Iria da Azóia, Portugal
• M 4.2 — 2017-08-17
  5 km N of Arruda dos Vinhos, Portugal
• M 3.2 — 2015-07-18
  2 km ESE of Colares, Portugal