History of Sacavém
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The history of Sacavém is the history of a town that, due to its strategic location —at the crossroads of the roads leading to Lisbon from the north and east— has been present in almost all the key dates of Portuguese history. Sacavém is a freguesia belonging to the municipality of Loures, very close to the municipality of Lisbon, crossed by the Trancão river and bordered to the south by the Mar da Palha.
It is a very ancient population, existing in Roman times a bridge that survived, at least, until the 16th century (according to Francisco de Holanda). From the time of the Moorish occupation remained, apparently, the toponym of Arab origin (شقبان, Šaqabān); immediately after the siege and subsequent conquest of Lisbon by the Christians in 1147, it seems that a battle took place in this locality (the Battle of the River Sacavém), although today it is considered legendary.
During the Middle Ages, Sacavém was a royal manor, whose beneficiaries were the admiral Manuel Pessanha, the queen Dª Leonor Teles and later the constable Nuno Álvares Pereira. After the latter's death, the property passed to the House of Bragança, under whose rule it would remain until the Revolution of October 5, 1910 and the proclamation of the Portuguese Republic.
Severely damaged by the earthquake of 1755, Sacavém began a slow decline that lasted for about a century, until 1850, when its industrialisation began —with the creation of the famous Sacavém tile factory, which spread the name of the city throughout the country and abroad— as well as the construction of the railroad. This situation contributed to a population increase until the mid-70s of the 20th century, which also favored the development of several associations and sports clubs.
At the end of the 80's, the parish obtained its current geographical configuration, with the separation of Portela de Sacavém and Prior Velho. On June 4, 1997, Sacavém finally saw all its potential value recognized, being elevated to the category of town. Months later, the Vasco da Gama Bridge was inaugurated, connecting the city to Montijo, becoming a landmark in the city's urban landscape.