Friday 11 December 2020

ALGÉS (PORTUGAL)



ALGÉS
N 38º 41' 58''; W 9º 13' 45''

Algés is an old Portuguese parish in the municipality of Oeiras. existing from 1993 to 2013 with 1.92 km² of area and 22 273 inhabitants (2011). Its population density was 11 600.5 inhabitants / km². It currently integrates the union of the parishes of Algés, Linda-a-Velha, and Cruz Quebrada - Dafundo. It is limited to the east by Pedrouços and Belém (Lisbon municipality) enjoying the proximity of Monsanto Park; northeast with Miraflores, northwest with Linda-a-Velha, west with Dafundo, and finally south with the so-called Gargalo do Tejo, the final and narrowest part of the Tagus River estuary.
The historic area of ​​Algés will have been established for security reasons in the highest part of the village, currently called Algés de Cima. Due to its proximity to Lisbon and the river that drained the area, its economy was sustained in the production of vegetables and orchards destined to supply the capital. The construction of defensive structures along the Tagus leads the urban core to begin its expansion into the lowlands and, with the construction of the Cascais Line embankment in 1890, on the riverside, this phenomenon is enhanced. Like the other locations served by the railroad, the improvement in accessibility leads to the fact that the village is sought for recreational and leisure activities. In the 20th century, with the tram routes and the opening of several avenues and the Estrada Marginal, urban development was consolidated, being one of the first places in the municipality of Oeiras to transform itself into a high-density residential area.