Olivenza, strong places and fortification bastioned. history and monuments

OLIVENZA

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Versão Portuguesa

This singular population is placed to the south of Badajoz, to 24 kilometres of the capital and to scanty kilometres of the river The Guadiana, frontier limit by Portugal. Your history is tied to the meetings and misunder standings that Spain and Portugal had throughout the times.

After the conquest of Badajoz in 1230, Alfonso IX of León in gratefulness to the help given by the gentlemen Templars, granted to this Order own lands in Alconchel and in the current region, being in that epoch Olivenza a small village. In 1256 the Encomiemda de Olivenza is created, until in the reign of Alfonso X Wise, the territory is dedicated to the Council of Badajoz and to your Bishopric.

PRODUCTS OF THE LAND...

The Reconquested to frequent clashes between the kingdoms of Leon, Castile and Portugal, which in this political map was conditional on the Treaties of Badajoz, Alcañices and Lisbon 1668. In 1267 Alfonso X of Castile and Leon and Alfonso III of the Algarve Portugal agree to be integrated into the Portuguese crown and setting the course of the Guadiana River as a boundary from Badajoz to Ayamonte between the two countries. Accordingly, Oliveza and its area together with local communities and Mourao, Moura and Mértola, went to the kingdom of Castile.

At a time of great political weakness in Castile, D. Dionis Portugal took advantage of this situation strategically, forcing Alcañices treaty in 1297, which Portugal recovers triangle Mértola-Noudar-Mourão, and the county of Olivenza south of Badajoz and Campo Mayor north, in order to isolate the city of Badajoz.

During the War of Independence, a few weeks before the definitive conquest of Badajoz for the allies Ingleses, Portuguese and Spanish supervised by the Duke of Wellington, Portuguese troops took to the Frenchmen the city, which they retired before the order to Englishman deliver it to Spain given by the marshall.The city has could guard the traditions, culture, monuments and even his Portuguese "fala", throughout the years, in spite of a full and conscious integration in the Spanish nation.

The fortification bastioned of Olivenza was an importamnte defensive bastion in the border Hispanic Portuguese. It suffered several sieges between 1811 and 1812 and after the combats for the place, the defensive set remained ruined enough. La Paz that continued to the Peninsular Wars, did that barracks, bastions and revellines, were progressively left, being absorvidos for the urban development, which was occupying these redoubts progressively.

Lucky the Town hall and the Meeting of Estremadura carry out a process of restoration and putting in value of these singular military contrucciones. For it one of the principal Olivenza's monuments, is contributing on having re-arisen from the heritage of this so peculiar city.