Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Portugal x Portugal RR - Group 63

Last week i decided to join another Portugal x Portugal RR, because i really like to receive cards from my country. Today i've received the last card.

This is the tower of a castle in Moura and the card was sent by Helena "leninha".
"In the highest point of the Moura village is located what still remains of the 13th century Castle, which origin was probably a hill fort built during Iron Age, and subsequently occupied by Romans, Visigoths and Muslims. After the Christian re-conquest in 1232, the king D. Dinis ordered the reconstruction of the Castle over the previous ruins, with a new watchtower that is still visible nowadays. The Castle suffers many damages during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) and the great Earthquake of 1755. In the 20th century, the Castle has some restoration and preservation works, and these days houses an army museum and an archaeology museum." - in: http://www.guiadacidade.pt/portugal/index.php?lg=en&G=monumentos.ver&artid=16576&distritoid=02

On the last RR i've received a 25 of April Bridge card, and on this RR i've received another 25 of April Bridge card. I really don't mind because i like this bridge. On this card sent by Ana "ninocas", also with a 25 of April Bridge stamp, besides the bridge, it's possible to see an aqueduct, the Águas Livres Aqueduct (Aqueduct of the Free Waters).
This is an historic aqueduct in Lisbon. "It is one of the most remarkable examples of 18th-century Portuguese engineering. The main course of the aqueduct covers 18 km, but the whole network of canals extends through nearly 58 km.
The city of Lisbon has always suffered from the lack of drinking water, and King John V decided to build an aqueduct to bring water from sources in the parish of Caneças, in the modern municipality of Odivelas. The project was paid for by a special sales tax on beef, olive oil, wine, and other products." - in:
wikipédia
Construction started in 1731 and it was completed in 1744.

And this last card from Quinta das Lágrimas, mainly a gardenlike area surrounding a Palace from the 19th century and a wood situated in Coimbra, sent by Raquel "kel". This place is strongly connected to the King D. Pedro and Dª Inês de Castro. Dª Inês was a Galician noblewoman, lover and posthumously declared lawful wife of the Portuguese King Pedro I of Portugal, and therefore Queen of Portugal. After several attempts to keep the lovers apart, Afonso IV, D. Pedro father, ordered Inês's death.
On the card we see a fountain, which according to the legend originated from the tears shed by Inês de Castro when she was killed.

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