Montijo, Portugal

Montijo was known as Aldeia Galega until July 6, 1930, in spite of the fact that it was a small town and no longer a village. It was elevated to city status on August 14, 1985.

Paleolithic vestiges of human settlement suggest that the region was occupied into the pre-history.{{cite web |url=http://www.mun-montijo.pt/pt/conteudos/juntas+de+freguesia/montijo/Resenha+Hist%C3%B3rica+-+Freguesia+do+Montijo.htm |title=Resenha Histórica |location=Montijo, Portugal |year=2012 |accessdate=27 August 2013 |publisher=Câmara Municipal de Montijo |editor=Câmara Municipal |first=Joaquim |last=Balderico |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929090407/http://www.mun-montijo.pt/pt/conteudos/juntas+de+freguesia/montijo/Resenha+Hist%C3%B3rica+-+Freguesia+do+Montijo.htm |archive-date=29 September 2012 |url-status=dead }} Yet, the first historical references date to the 12th century, in 1186, with the donations of religious and hereditary lands to Paio Peres, that initiated formal occupation.

Initially, the settlement was a constituted of poor hovels, that were villages for fishermen and farmers, but by the 14th century, the area had developed into a sizeable centre, with its own church, dedicated to São Sebastião.

During the reigns of Afonso IV, Pedro and Fernando, Montijo was awarded various privileges that John I later confirmed in 1385. For a long time, the place formed one ecclesiastical parish with neighboring Alcochete, whose seat was in the village of Santa Maria de Sabonha, in the parish of São Francisco. On 15 September 1514, Manuel I conceded a foral (charter), which was quickly renewed on 17 January 1515, with Alcochete.

In 1539, the centres separated resulting in administrative autonomy. The grand postmaster, Luís Afonso, established his seat in the south in 1533, due to its geographic conditions and close proximity to Spain and southern Portugal. A year earlier, John III had registered the title to the village of Aldea Galega.

Over the years, many monarch passed through Montijo, such as the future John IV of Portugal, who arrived on 5 December 1640, to enthusiastic cheers from the nobles, clerics and people of the village.

In 1808 Montijo suffered the roaming attacks and pillage of French forces.

Twenty one years later, a carriage post between Montijo and Badajoz/Madrid, which was of short duration and lasted until 1831. In 1843, during an official visit, Queen Maria II of Portugal necessitated the carriage, allowing a 26-hour trip from Montijo to Badajoz. But, the service was suspended in 1864.

Aldeia Galega was one of the first centres to celebrate the implantation of the 5 October 1910 revolution, before Lisbon and other major centres.

{{Weather box

|location = Montijo (Base Aérea), 1971-2000 normals and extremes

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|width = auto

|Jan record high C = 21.0

|Feb record high C = 25.0

|Mar record high C = 28.6

|Apr record high C = 29.8

|May record high C = 37.5

|Jun record high C = 39.5

|Jul record high C = 43.2

|Aug record high C = 39.0

|Sep record high C = 39.0

|Oct record high C = 33.2

|Nov record high C = 27.4

|Dec record high C = 23.8

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 14.7

|Feb high C = 16.2

|Mar high C = 18.6

|Apr high C = 19.7

|May high C = 22.2

|Jun high C = 25.8

|Jul high C = 28.5

|Aug high C = 28.7

|Sep high C = 26.8

|Oct high C = 22.5

|Nov high C = 18.3

|Dec high C = 15.5

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 10.1

|Feb mean C = 11.6

|Mar mean C = 13.7

|Apr mean C = 15.0

|May mean C = 17.4

|Jun mean C = 20.4

|Jul mean C = 22.6

|Aug mean C = 22.8

|Sep mean C = 21.2

|Oct mean C = 17.7

|Nov mean C = 14.0

|Dec mean C = 11.4

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = 5.8

|Feb low C = 7.2

|Mar low C = 8.6

|Apr low C = 10.2

|May low C = 12.4

|Jun low C = 14.9

|Jul low C = 16.6

|Aug low C = 16.8

|Sep low C = 15.6

|Oct low C = 12.7

|Nov low C = 9.4

|Dec low C = 7.3

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -4.0

|Feb record low C = -2.0

|Mar record low C = -0.4

|Apr record low C = 3.4

|May record low C = 4.8

|Jun record low C = 8.0

|Jul record low C = 10.8

|Aug record low C = 11.0

|Sep record low C = 8.5

|Oct record low C = 1.6

|Nov record low C = -0.5

|Dec record low C = -2.0

|year record low C =

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 71.0

|Feb rain mm = 55.0

|Mar rain mm = 35.8

|Apr rain mm = 51.8

|May rain mm = 44.3

|Jun rain mm = 15.2

|Jul rain mm = 3.2

|Aug rain mm = 3.8

|Sep rain mm = 24.6

|Oct rain mm = 57.3

|Nov rain mm = 81.6

|Dec rain mm = 97.1

|year rain mm =

|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 11.8

|Feb precipitation days = 10.6

|Mar precipitation days = 8.3

|Apr precipitation days = 11.9

|May precipitation days = 9.2

|Jun precipitation days = 4.8

|Jul precipitation days = 1.7

|Aug precipitation days = 2.0

|Sep precipitation days = 5.4

|Oct precipitation days = 9.3

|Nov precipitation days = 12.1

|Dec precipitation days = 13.3

|year precipitation days =

|Jan sun = 150.4

|Feb sun = 159.9

|Mar sun = 217.2

|Apr sun = 236.7

|May sun = 279.5

|Jun sun = 304.2

|Jul sun = 341.8

|Aug sun = 338.4

|Sep sun = 255.5

|Oct sun = 216.8

|Nov sun = 160.1

|Dec sun = 128.4

|year sun =

|source = Instituto de Meteorologia{{cite web |url=http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_MONTIJO_BASE_AEREA.pdf|title=Monthly Averages for Montijo (1971–2000)|publisher=Instituto de Meteorologia}}

}}

{{Weather box

|location = Pegões, Montijo, 1971-2000 normals and extremes

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|width = auto

|Jan record high C = 22.5

|Feb record high C = 28.0

|Mar record high C = 30.0

|Apr record high C = 32.2

|May record high C = 35.6

|Jun record high C = 43.3

|Jul record high C = 44.0

|Aug record high C = 41.1

|Sep record high C = 40.6

|Oct record high C = 34.9

|Nov record high C = 28.5

|Dec record high C = 24.5

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 15.1

|Feb high C = 16.4

|Mar high C = 19.1

|Apr high C = 20.0

|May high C = 22.6

|Jun high C = 26.8

|Jul high C = 30.2

|Aug high C = 30.7

|Sep high C = 28.3

|Oct high C = 23.4

|Nov high C = 18.9

|Dec high C = 15.9

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 10.0

|Feb mean C = 11.3

|Mar mean C = 13.1

|Apr mean C = 14.3

|May mean C = 16.6

|Jun mean C = 20.0

|Jul mean C = 22.5

|Aug mean C = 22.8

|Sep mean C = 21.2

|Oct mean C = 17.6

|Nov mean C = 13.7

|Dec mean C = 11.2

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = 4.9

|Feb low C = 6.2

|Mar low C = 7.1

|Apr low C = 8.5

|May low C = 10.6

|Jun low C = 13.1

|Jul low C = 14.9

|Aug low C = 14.9

|Sep low C = 14.1

|Oct low C = 11.7

|Nov low C = 8.6

|Dec low C = 6.5

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -4.8

|Feb record low C = -3.2

|Mar record low C = -4.0

|Apr record low C = 0.0

|May record low C = 2.5

|Jun record low C = 5.5

|Jul record low C = 8.0

|Aug record low C = 8.1

|Sep record low C = 5.0

|Oct record low C = -0.5

|Nov record low C = -2.0

|Dec record low C = -4.0

|year record low C =

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 94.7

|Feb rain mm = 74.0

|Mar rain mm = 41.6

|Apr rain mm = 59.7

|May rain mm = 54.9

|Jun rain mm = 21.0

|Jul rain mm = 7.8

|Aug rain mm = 6.5

|Sep rain mm = 26.4

|Oct rain mm = 77.3

|Nov rain mm = 94.0

|Dec rain mm = 115.7

|year rain mm =

|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 11.2

|Feb precipitation days = 10.2

|Mar precipitation days = 7.8

|Apr precipitation days = 9.9

|May precipitation days = 7.6

|Jun precipitation days = 3.3

|Jul precipitation days = 1.1

|Aug precipitation days = 1.4

|Sep precipitation days = 4.1

|Oct precipitation days = 8.7

|Nov precipitation days = 9.3

|Dec precipitation days = 11.6

|year precipitation days =

|source = Instituto de Meteorologia{{cite web |url=http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_PEGOES.pdf|title=Monthly Averages for Pegões, Montijo (1971–2000)|publisher=Instituto de Meteorologia}}

}}

The Vasco da Gama Bridge, inaugurated in 1998, connects Montijo with the capital city of Lisbon. Numerous roads, including the IC13, provide access to the south, east and west of Portugal.

Although the train service via the Ramal do Montijo rail line was discontinued, Montijo maintains a network of public transportation that connects it to other nearby major cities and villages by bus and by a river service connecting it with Lisbon.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 5 civil parishes (freguesias):{{cite web|title=Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 78|url=http://dre.pt/pdf1sdip/2013/01/01901/0000200147.pdf |accessdate=28 July 2014|author=Diário da República|author-link=Diário da República|language=Portuguese|format=pdf}}

• Atalaia e Alto Estanqueiro-Jardia
• Canha
• Montijo e Afonsoeiro
• Pegões
• Sarilhos Grandes

{{wide image|Montijo - Panorama 2013-11-09.jpg|770px|Panorama of Montijo}}

• Fialho Gouveia (1935–2004), TV entertainment pioneer and former radio host
• Jorge Peixinho (1940-1995), composer, pianist and conductor
• Dulce Pontes (born 1969), songwriter and pop, folk and classical music singer; helped revive fado
• Rosinha (born 1971), Pimba singer, songwriter and accordion player
• Catarina Marcelino (born 1971), anthropologist, politician and Govt. minister

• Custódio Pinto (1942–2004), footballer
• Paulo Futre (born 1966), footballer
• Ricardo (born 1976), footballer

Montijo has no twin towns, but has international cooperation protocols with:{{cite web |title=Plano Municipal para a Integração de Migrantes do Montijo|url=https://www.mun-montijo.pt/cmmontijo/uploads/writer_file/document/7276/pmim_montijo_2020_2022.pdf|website=mun-montijo.pt|publisher=Montijo|page=71|language=pt|date=December 2019|access-date=2022-06-29}}

• {{flagicon|STP}} Água Grande, São Tomé and Príncipe, since 2013
• {{flagicon|CPV}} Santa Catarina, Cape Verde, since 2010
• {{flagicon|BUL}} Svoge, Bulgaria, since 2010

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage|Montijo}}

• [http://www.mun-montijo.pt/ Town Hall official website]
• [https://www.flickr.com/photos/vitor107/sets/72157594259596229/ Photos from Montijo]

{{Municipalities of Setúbal}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Portugal

Category:Populated places in Setúbal District

Category:Municipalities of Setúbal District