Alcains
Alcains is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Castelo Branco. The population in 2011 was 5,022, in an area of 36.94 km². History. Remote history, indicated by diverse archaeological testaments, indicate a human presence in the area extending back to the pre-historic. During the Neolithic period there were implements discovered in the sites such as the Grulha and Lameira de Curia (today housed in the Museum Tavares Proença Júnior). The Romanization of the area was also documented in the number of vestiges found in Cabeço da Pelada, such as a kiln and altar dedicated to the  divinity Reve, from the 2nd century B.C. Remnants from two altars were identified in 2008, during excavations in the Chapel of São Domingos, that also identify the Roman influence on the parish's history. The toponymy "Alcains" is derived from the Arabic word for "church" and, according to some historians, may have had the same origin as Alcañiz, a city in the Spanish province of Teruel. In the 12th century the region belonged to the numerous villages and lands that comprised the "Herdade de Açafa", dominion of Afonso Henriques. Much later, Afonso III donated these lands to the Knights Templar . Throughout the Middle Ages, its development was somewhat irregular, due to the constant demographic recessions of the region. By the end of the 14th century, the creation of the municipalities led to the survey and delimitation of the parish of Alcains. Rich in historical and religious patrimony, the region was used by the nobility for summer homes and estates; the Viscounts of Oleiros (whom owned the "Solares de Alcains") and the Viscounts of Idanha-a-Nova (who owned the "Solares dos Goulões") were beneficial in developing the land in this region, and providing job opportunities. Several stories, legends and anecdotes  surfaced during this period, identifying the daily humour and mythos of the community. By the early 16th century, Alcains began to recover economically, by taking advantage of its good geographic situation, through the creation of several workshops, and it later progressed due to the predominance of agricultural activities linked to creation major industries. Owing to its urban growth, it was elevated to the category of "vila" () in 1971 by the decree No.495/71. Until 1980, it was the most important industrial cluster in the municipality. Geography. Physical geography. Located 370 metres above sea level, the parish of Alcains is crossed by  the Ribeira da Líria, an affluent of the Ocreza River, while the Tagus River runs 30 km south of Alcains (its affluents Ponsul and Ocreza rivers run 20 km southeast and 6 km west, respectively). Further to the west, the Zêzere River is located 50 km to the West. In a radius of 15 to 30 km, the town is surrounded by the Gardunha mountain range (in the north) and by the Alvelos and Moradal mountain ranges (west to south), while the Serra da Estrela (the highest mountain range in Portugal), is located 50 km to the north of Alcains . Other mountain ranges, such as Serra da Lousã, Serra do Açor and Serra de São Mamede are also visible from Alcains. The Sierra de Gata is also located along the Portuguese–Spanish border and can also be seen in the horizon. Oak and olive trees predominate the landscape of the parish. Climate. Alcains has a Temperate Mediterranean climate that includes: summers that have scarce precipitation, with relatively high temperatures (maximum temperatures above 30 °C on many days, with minimums temperatures near 20 °C); winters are cold and rainy, with minimum temperatures as low as -3 °C (while  the maximum temperatures are usually around 12 °C). Although winter snowfall is rare, the last major snowstorm occurred between 10–11 January 2010. Human geography. Alcains is located within the urban agglomeration of Castelo Branco-Covilhã-Guarda, situated 12 km to the north of Castelo Branco, 215 km to the northeast of Lisbon and 280 km southeast from Oporto, while 70 km to the west of the Portuguese-Spanish border (and 380 km from Madrid). It is served by the A23 highway, by the EN18 and EN352 national roadways, and also a rail-line from Beira Baixa (). The more recent  IC31 connects the town with Spain in Monfortinho. The civil parish comprises only the urbanized town of Alcains, and the lands adjacent, which borders the parishes of Lardosa, Escalos de Cima, Escalos de Baixo, Cafede, Póvoa de Rio de Moinhos and Castelo Branco. Economy. Until the mid-20th century, the economy of Alcains experienced a boom of economic growth; its economic growth has under-performed national growth rates. Alcains was the main industrial centre within the municipality of Castelo Branco, achieving a period of success during the 1960s and 1970s, through the creation and development of several nationally-recognized companies (such  as Dielmar, Fábricas Lusitana and Sicel). Other industries in the region include marble and granite masons, butchers and meat-packers, artisans and, at one time, hat producers. Alcains owes much of its fame to the granite quarries located here, whose stone is considered to be among the best in Portugal. The work of the stonemasons of Alcains is present in many places in Portugal. The "Companhia de Caminhos de Ferro de Portugal" (Portuguese Railway Company) applied Alcains stone in many of its stations. The distinct quality of the Alcains stonemasonry is evident in Castelo Branco, with many of the sculptures  and statues that embellish the "Paço" garden utilizing the granite from the region. In addition to the local branch of the "Banco de Portugal", granite-work has been exported to the municipality of Covilhã, as well as Viseu, Guarda, Coimbra, Porto, Lisboa, Estremoz, Elvas and Évora. There were also examples of their work in Macao and Maputo. Alcains is best known for its agricultural pasturelands, and the dairy industry, is reflected in the famous Alcains Cheese, which is processed within the parish. Education. The town has a nursery school, two kindergartens ("J/I de Feiteira" and "JI de Pedreira"), a  primary school ("Escola Basica de Alcains", which includes two buildings, 50 meters apart) and a combination middle and secondary school ("EB 2-3/S José Sanches") equipped with a gym. Originally, the main primary school was located in Feiteira (now a kindergarten), which was inaugurated in 1942, but the building was remodelled and primary activities transferred to the current 19th century-era building. The space was remodelled and expanded to accommodate the students, which at one time served as the local courts/house-of-justice. Until the 1990s, there was a religious-denomination school in the "Seminario de São José , which was, at one time, the High Seminary" of the Portalegre-Castelo Branco bishopric.