About Ponte de Sor
All the information in this page was obtained from the sites quoted in the footer
of the page and may have been adapted to fit within the guidelines of this site.

Overview
(information obtained on Dec/16/99 at PortugalPress' site, at AMNA's and at Sistema Nacional de Informação dos Recursos Hídricos')

- Classification: CidadeDistrict: PortalegreRegion: Alto Alentejo

- Whereabouts: See Maps(to be added later)

- Area: 314 Km² (PortugalPress' site claims that the area is 839 Km²...considering that it is referring to the municipality alone and not the county I doubt that the statement is accurate, therefore I decided to quote the figure obtained from the Sistema Nacional de Informação dos Recursos Hídricos instead. I may be wrong. I would appreciate being corrected if that is the case).

- Population: 17.620 inhabitants.

- Main thoroughfares: RoadsRailwayRailway Stations
EN2, EN244Linhas do LestePonte de Sor

- History: The city's name is derived from the first roman bridge, which was part of the 3rd military road connecting Lisbon to Merida. An area of upheaval in between borders during the re-conquest, Ponte de Sor, which initially belonged to the Templars, was taken back from the enemy by the Order of St. Benedict. Its first "Foral" (charter by which the monarch established a county or settlement, outlined the administration and set forth its rights, priviledges and limitations) was bestowed upon it by the Diocese of Évora in 1161, and later ratified by D. Manuel. Once the roman bridge was gone, King João VI had the bridge that stands today built in 1822. Ponte de Sor became a city in 1985.

- Main touristic attractions: The countryside, nautical sports, the Montargil dam, equestrian tourism.

- Main economic activities: Agriculture, industry e services.

- Historical monuments and places of interest: Capelinha dos Paços do Calvário; Igreja Matriz; Fonte da Vila; Paços do Concelho/Biblioteca Municipal; Igreja Matriz de Montargil; Capela da Misericórdia; Capela de S. Pedro; Capela do Senhor das Almas; Capela de S. Sebastião; Capela de Santo António; Núcleo Megalítico de Montargil; Necrópole de Santo André.

- Other places of interest: Montargil dam; Tramaga's water mills; The riverside; Andreu's bridge; etc.

- Municipal holiday: The monday following Easter.

- Main festivities: Festa da Salgueirinha (Easter); Sto. António da Amieira Pilgrimage (Easter); Nª Srª dos Prazeres celebration (May); Semana da Cidade (July); Folclore festival (July); Nª Srª dos Prazeres celebration (August); Summer celebration (September); October Fair.

- Fairs and shows: January Fair, March Fairs, October Fairs.

- Hospitals / Health Centres: Ponte de Sor Health Centre, Vaz Monteiro Hospital, Portalegre's District Hospital. There are also people who use the services of Abrantes' Hospital because it is located closer than Portalegre..

- Schools: Daycare: 13Basic: 26High School : 1Special: 1.

- Main Services : City Hall- 26 105; Tourism office - 26 126.

- City Hall:
Largo 25 de Abril
7400 Ponte de Sor
Tel: (245) 291580
Fax: (245) 206303

Number and distribution of students
in Ponte de Sor County*
(information obatined on Dec/16/99 at Direcção Regional de Educação do Alentejo's site)

Para ver onde fica Ponte de Sor use estes links:

Information Sources:

DREA - Direcção Regional de Educação do Alentejo
http://www.drealentejo.pt/rede/ponte.htm

AMNA - Associação de Municípios do Norte Alentejano
http://www.amna.pt/municipios/pontesor.htm

PortugalPress
http://www.portugalpress.pt/distritos/psor.html

http://www.inag.pt/snirh/estudos/erhsa/amunicip/psor.html