Querença

Querença
Civil Parish (Freguesia)
Coat of arms
Official name: Freguesia de Querença
Country  Portugal
Region Algarve
Subregion Algarve
District Faro
Municipality Loulé
River Ribeira de Menalva
Center Querença
 - coordinates PT 37°11′56″N 7°59′16″W / 37.19889°N 7.98778°W / 37.19889; -7.98778Coordinates: PT 37°11′56″N 7°59′16″W / 37.19889°N 7.98778°W / 37.19889; -7.98778
Area 37.18 km2 (14 sq mi)
Population 759
Timezone WET (UTC0)
 - summer (DST) WEST (UTC+1)
Postal Zone 8100-129
Area Code & Prefix (+351) 289 XX XX XX
Wikimedia Commons: Querença
Statistics: Instituto Nacional de Estatística[1]
Geographic detail from CAOP (2010)[2] produced by Instituto Geográfico Português (IGP)

Querença is a former civil parish in the municipality of Loulé, eastern Algarve, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Querença, Tôr e Benafim.[3] Located north of Loulé proper, Querença is an area of 37.18 square kilometres (14.36 sq mi) with a population of 759 inhabitants (based on 2011 census).

History

Due to the creation of the parish of Tôr, in 1997, Querença was reduced in its geographic extent.

Geography

The waters of the Fonte da Benémola, a marsh-like river course

Situated on a hilltop, that provides the parish with its name, the parish is in the transitional area between the Barrocal and the mountains. Many of the parishes' homes descend these slopes, in many directions.

The caverns of Salustreira, with a length of 80 metres (260 ft) and 8 metres (26 ft) height, are located alongside the Fonte da Benémola, a protected area, an important point of visit to the parish. Fonte da Benémola covers an area of 392 hectares, intersected by the Ribeira de Menalva, an affluent that maintains 60% of its flow throughout the year.

Architecture

Civic

Religious

Culture

The parish is famous for its arbutus, producing an appreciated sausage, along with other varieties. The Festa das Chouriças is, among others, one of the high points of the parish's annual festivities, in Querença. Local gastronomy is preserved by many of the restaurants, including: Galinha Cerejada, Galo de Cabidela and Xerém (a maize porridge, traditional in the Algarve).

References

  1. INE, ed. (2010), Censos 2011 - Resultadas Preliminares [2011 Census - Preliminary Results] (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: Instituto Nacional de Estatística, retrieved 1 January 2012
  2. IGP, ed. (2010), Carta Administrativa Oficial de Portugal (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: Instituto Geográfico Português, retrieved 1 July 2011
  3. Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 61" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 July 2014.
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