Vila Nova de Sao Bento

Vila Nova de Sao Bento
Basic data
Region :	Alentejo
Sub-region :	Baixo Alentejo
District :	Be yes
Concelho :	Serpa
Freguesia :	Vila Nova de Sao Bento e Vale de Vargo
Coordinates :	37 ° 56 ′ N , 7 ° 25 ′ W Coordinates: 37 ° 56 ′ N , 7 ° 25 ′ W
Postal code :	7830-059
politics
Mayor :	Manuel Luís Machado Nunes ( PCP )
Address of the municipal administration:	Junta de Freguesia de Vila Nova de São Bento ; Praceta D. Maria do Carmo Horta Barroso, n.º 1 ; 7830-059 Vila Nova de São Bento
Website:	www.jf-vnsbento.pt

Vila Nova de São Bento (formerly: Aldeia Nova de São Bento ) is a place and a former municipality in the Portuguese region of Alentejo .

history

In the 14th century, the order of knights of Avis received the area from King D. Dinis to settle, and founded various villages here. In the course of the Restoration War from 1640, today's location was created when Portuguese troops camped here. Residents of surrounding Portuguese towns who had fled the Spanish armies fled to them to seek protection. King D. João IV then had houses built for them there, and the current place was created.

In 1988 the previous Aldeia Nova de São Bento (Aldeia, Portuguese for village ) was elevated to a Vila (small town) and renamed.

With the administrative reform of 2013 , the previously independent municipality with Vale de Vargo was merged into a new municipality.

Sights and culture

Among its various architectural monuments, in addition to the old customs building and various sacred buildings , is the late Baroque parish church Igreja Paroquial de Aldeia Nova de São Bento (also simply Igreja de São Bento ) from the 18th century.

The traditional male choir of Cante alentejano singing ( part of the UNESCO cultural heritage list since 2014 ), the Rancho de Cantadores de Aldeia Nova de São Bento, became known nationwide . It was founded in 1986 and has since performed frequently both nationally and internationally, including in Germany.

administration

Location of the (new) municipality in Serpa County

Vila Nova de São Bento was the seat of a municipality of the same name ( Freguesia ) in the district ( concelho ) of Serpa in the Beja district . The municipality had an area of 242.2 km² and 3079 inhabitants (as of June 30, 2011). This corresponds to a population density of 12.7 inh / km².

The following places are in the area of the former municipality:

A do pinto
Brejos
Californias Novas
Crespo
Monte da Charneca
Monte da Cunca
Monte João Gago
Monte Raimundo

Monte Vale Gamitos
Monte Vale Viegas
Penalva
São Marcos
Sopos
Vale Covo
Vila Nova de Sao Bento

As part of the regional reform in September 2013 , Vila Nova de São Bento and Vale de Vargo were merged to form the new municipality of Vila Nova de São Bento e Vale de Vargo , the seat of the municipality became Vila Nova de São Bento.

Sons and daughters

Manuel Monge (* 1938), former general and district president of the Beja district
Filipe La Féria (* 1945), theater director and director of the Teatro Politeama