How about a journey back in time to discover Famões? This former civil parish holds secrets from prehistoric settlements to modern-day life. Today we will explore Famões.
Famões administratively was de-annexed from Odivelas. This happened on August 25, 1989. Later, it was elevated to town status on April 19, 2001. Famões continues to be part of Odivelas. It was annexed to Odivelas on November 19, 1998. Before that, it was a parish in the municipality of Loures.
Ecclesiastically, Famões belongs to the vicarage of Loures-Odivelas. It is within the Diocese of Lisbon. Nossa Senhora do Rosário or Our Lady of the Rosary is its religious organ.
Human settlement in Famões dates back to the 5th century BC. Investigator Vergílio Correia discovered two archaeological sites around 1912. One site included lands in Alvitos. Sadly, little remains today. In the 1920s, Francisco Ribeiro photographed and excavated four dolmens in Trigaches. Specialist Octávio da Veiga Ferreira and Vera Leisner cataloged these sites in the 1960s. They found megalithic remnants in an area called the Trigaches necropolis. These prehistoric monuments were stored in the Museu dos Serviços Geológicos in Lisbon.
The name Famões may come from the region’s lemon trees. Their quality and popularity led to the name “Famous Lemons.” Over time, this shortened to Famões. During the 18th century, Famões was a small agricultural settlement. It was mentioned in the 1457 holdings of King Afonso V’s Chancellor. Famõe, then known as Casal de Pão, belonged to the Gafaria de Almada. This was a leper’s hospital. Lopo Fernandes, a cooper, administered it. He donated it to Beatriz Lourenço, who lived in Lisbon.
After the 18th century, Famões appeared in official documents. In Father António de Carvalho’s Chorographia of 1712, Famões was a locality. It was an agglomerated area of few rural houses. The parish included 44 residents in the Memórias Paroquiais of 1758. Manuel Francisco Camello had fiscal responsibilities to the Misericórdia de Almada. This institution absorbed the leper’s hospital.
Famões is in the western part of Odivelas. It borders Ramada, Odivelas, Pontinha, Caneças, and Sintra. It covers an area of 4.58 square kilometers. The average altitude is over 100 meters. The highest point is the geodetic landmark of Casal do Bispo. It reaches 289 meters offering beautiful views. According to the 2011 census, 11,095 people lived here. Despite urban and industrial changes, its landscapes still show an agricultural unit. This includes small farms, estates, and enclosed fields.
Famões has many neighborhoods. Its territory is mostly in a mountainous area. It features large wooded spaces. Enormous craters mark the landscape. These reflect the importance of the Trigache quarries. The Memórias Paroquiais of 1758 describe this activity. Stone from these quarries rebuilt Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake.
In 2013, Famões merged with Pontinha. Now it is known as the Union of Parishes of Pontinha and Famões.
Now you know a bit more about Famões! From prehistoric times to its agricultural roots and modern union. Famões is a place of rich history and beautiful landscapes.