Olivais, Lisbon

Olivais is a freguesia (civil parish) and typical quarter of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. Located in eastern Lisbon, Olivais is west of Parque das Nações, north of Marvila and Alvalade, and east of Lumiar and Santa Clara. The population in 2021 was 32,179.

Kingdom of Portugal and incorporation into Lisbon (1147 - 1886)


The parish was created in 1397, probably resulting in the division of a part of Beato (to the south) and Sacavém (to the north) thanks to the intervention of the first bishop of Lisbon João Anes (bishop).

The parish was duly sanctioned through a papal bull issued on the 1st of July in 1400 by Pope Boniface IX.

The creation of this new ecclesiastical entity was orchestrated by incorporating territory from the Lisbon Term. It is worth noting that these lands, long before their inclusion in the Parish of Olivais, had previously comprised the outskirts of the city, situated beyond Chelas. The Marvila district, once home to Moorish mosques, had been in the possession of the bishopric since the year 1149. Furthermore, it is presumed that this land may have also been affiliated with the Parish of Sacavém, which was established in the 12th century, potentially encompassing the areas of Marcos, Encarnação, and Portela. The demarcation of boundaries in this regard was somewhat vague and subject to fluctuation.



A map of the Lisbon Term from the year 1527 provides a visual representation of this historical context.

Granted to the capital city in 1385 by the benevolent D. João I, as a token of gratitude for services rendered to the nation and the monarchy, this Lisbon Term, in essence, extended as follows: encompassing the entire expanse of the kingdom from the western coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, to the south along the same ocean and the Tagus River, to the east along the Tagus River, and demarcated to the north, conceivably, by the Alcabrichel River on the ocean side, and the Ota River on the Tagus side. Consequently, the area that would later evolve into the parish in question fell under the administrative and policing jurisdiction of the city of Lisbon. This state of affairs endured until the 19th century.

While this donation by the Master of Avis was undeniably advantageous for Lisbon, it gave rise to dissatisfaction among those who had vested interests incorporated within it. Notably, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, the lord of the reguengos of Sacavém, Unhos, Frielas, and Charneca, voiced his grievances to the monarch. However, through a letter of sentence issued on the 13th of April in 1429, the wise king adeptly addressed the concerns of this distinguished military figure, reconciling their respective interests. In his ruling, the monarch declared, "we judge that the said city exercises jurisdiction over the said places freely, unencumbered by the letters of donation presented by the said count, and without prejudice to him in this matter." ("julgamos q.a dita cidade aja as jurisdições dos ditos lugares liuremente, e husse dellas sem embargo das cartas das doações mostradas da parte do dito conde (estabre), e ssem embargo daquilo q. da sua parte he dito").



The exact date of the construction of the parish church remains unknown. Nevertheless, given the year of the parish's formation, we can place it at least in the 14th century, although there are no records of its founders. The story, preserved in tradition, that the patron saint's image was found within the hollow of an olive tree trunk, leading to the naming of the new jurisdiction as Nossa Senhora or Santa Maria dos Olivais, appears to be of a legendary nature. However, the said trunk, which the vicar of the time had ordered to be uprooted and preserved, was kept in the sacristy until 1700.

In 1420, at the invitation of the vicar himself, the Congregation of Secular Canons of Saint John the Evangelist had their first temple there. However, this priest's hospitality ended with the expulsion of the friars, likely due to personal differences, and for this or other reasons, Archbishop D. Jorge da Costa united the church with the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição at the Lóios Convent, near the São Jorge Castle of Lisbon, where they had been since 1442. Until 1834, the tithes of the parish belonged to the Lóios Convent. The church of Olivais became or already was a "vicarage, presented by the Rector of the Santo Eloy Convent."



These were the beginnings of an era when the parish, as noted by Gomes de Brito, was a "repository of youthful affections, pious beliefs, grateful and salutary memories" and, at the same time, a "sacred ground where fathers, brothers, sons, and wives slept beneath the gravestones," serving as a focal point for collective attraction and strong, enduring bonds.

Indeed, countless hours, both solemn and joyful, were spent under the welcoming roof of the Virgin Mary, while a multitude of bodies found their resting place in the church and its courtyard, where weathered gravestones, especially in the main altar area, still bear the names of respectable figures from the jurisdiction. Particularly notable are the two side chapels of the nave, one on the left dedicated to Gomes Alpoim de Brito and his family, with the tomb located at the rear, and the one on the right, more recently used, presumably by Diogo de Brito Delgado and family members residing in Panasqueira, possibly succeeding another older owner.



Holy water fonts on either side of the porch confirm the ownership of the two chapels, with their heraldic shields carved on them. In the left one, there are the Alpoim arms, and in the right, an unidentified coat of arms, perhaps belonging to one of the Esteves families in the vicinity, one of which had its roots at Fonte da Pipa, or possibly the aforementioned Brito Delgado family, connected to the Ataídes family, and in this case, with no prior bearers before them. Gomes Alpoim de Brito, who obtained his coat of arms on November 17, 1573, and was married to his cousin, D. Ana de Figueiroa de Barros, was the grandson of Amador Alpoim, the royal finance clerk of D. Duarte, president of the Municipal Senate, and founder of the Morgado dos Marcos, headquartered at the Quinta dos Alpoins. He was widowed in 1609 and passed away on August 25, 1621, being the husband of D. Ana de Barros.

The proximity to Lisbon benefited the new parish, whose area witnessed numerous settlements. However, in return, the central area occupied by the church experienced slow progress in contrast to the more rapid development of peripheral zones, especially those along the Tagus River on this side of Cabo Ruivo, which had been considered beautiful environs of Lisbon from the beginning.

Nevertheless, the chosen location for building the temple, which was restored in the 16th and 17th centuries, reconstructed after 1755, and renovated again in the 19th century, is roughly equidistant from the boundaries of Sacavém and the beach (entry and exit points). It overlooks the kneeling valley, until recently, at the foot of Vale Formoso de Cima, Laje, and Aldeia. This choice does not seem purely coincidental.



It is believed that Nossa Senhora dos Olivais owes its existence to the requests of the local population, given the difficulty of attending religious services in the distant churches of Lisbon and Sacavém, which were heavily dependent on poor transportation, particularly during the winter. This was the case with Charneca on November 6, 1511, where three brotherhoods served the parish under the names of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, das Almas, and do Santíssimo, with only the latter still in existence today. The same applied to Camarate in terms of the number and names of confraternities.

In 1674, the Convent of São Cornélio, belonging to the Franciscan friars, was built in the parish. Although having crumbled over the centuries, it has left behind various remnants such as the ruins of its portico.

The construction of the railway in 1856 triggered the establishment of industries that benefited from both the proximity to the railway line and the nearby river port of Olivais, which remained complementary to rail transport for a considerable period.



Following the undeniable trend that progressive urban centers tend to absorb neighboring rural areas, the municipality began to decline toward the end of the 19th century.

Fragmented and gradually parceled into a scarcely profitable domain, the Parish of Olivais, until the end of the 19th century, represented an attractive enclave for the Lisbon aristocracy. Alas, it fell victim to the inevitable tide of progress, much like its neighboring parishes. It was, fundamentally, a place of leisure, frequented for holidays and, much later, retreats, renowned along the Road to Sacavém. Despite its crucial role in supplying the city, it naturally became a target for Lisbon's expansion, albeit through a gradual process of annexation. The following phases emerged from this process, on the peripheral fringes of the parish, intrinsic to its involvement in the Lisbon Term.

Firstly, the law of August 20, 1654, annexed the parishes of the Term to the neighborhoods of Lisbon for the purposes of law enforcement and criminal prosecution, without, however, incorporating them within their jurisdiction. Subsequently, the position of Corregedor do Crime (Crime Magistrate) of the Term was abolished, subjecting the 42 judicatures he oversaw to the jurisdiction of the city's magistrates, naturally including that of Olivais.



At that time, a substantial portion of the Olivais parish was commonly regarded as integrated into the capital, so intertwined were the extremities of both, and so enriched were the former by their lucrative association with the latter.



Nonetheless, the boundaries of the splendid city, established by decree on December 3, 1755, and confirmed by royal decree on May 12, 1758, extended from the Tejo River to Santa Apolónia on one side, with Olivais bordering the Vale de Chelas. On the Sacavém side, the delineations of the parish encompassed Marcos, Encarnação, Portela, and the Road to Sacavém, in the vicinity of Bela Vista.

In 1756, a relatively short period later, the vast eastern territory was carved out for the first time with the establishment of the new parish of Beato, which encompassed Chelas, Fonte do Louro up to Cruz do Almada, Rua Direita de Marvila, Grilo, Beato, and Poço do Bispo. Officially established in 1770, this valuable jurisdiction was altered by the 1780 plan, which returned Rua Direita de Marvila to Olivais. In 1811 and 1834, it participated in the city's division into 13 neighborhoods, featuring prominently in Alfama. Following a judicial division approved by decree on August 7, 1835, it was structured into six judicatures, each with its own Term. The Alfama neighborhood judicature comprised the parishes of São Bartolomeu da Charneca, Campo Grande, São João da Talha, Santa Iria da Azoia, Olivais, Sacavém, São Tiago dos Velhos, and Vialonga. On May 21, 1841, these arrangements served as the basis for a new administrative division of Lisbon, now reduced to six neighborhoods, with Olivais also participating in Alfama. The Municipality of Olivais was created by decree on September 11, 1852, issued by the Ministry of the Kingdom, which established new boundaries for the city of Lisbon.



Until municipal elections were held, the civil governor of Lisbon would appoint an Administrative Committee for the new municipality, endowed with the functions typically assigned to municipal councils. However, all the responsibilities conferred by laws and regulations regarding census and elections, until these took place, would be exercised in the Municipality of Olivais by the Municipal Council of Lisbon. Furthermore, the government would designate a state building to serve as the Town Hall for the new municipality. The administration of properties that Lisbon held within the annexed territory would continue to belong to Lisbon. The revenue from municipal taxes that the Lisbon Municipal Council had acquired through auction until the establishment of the Municipality of Olivais would still be collected by the respective Municipal Council until the end of the respective auctions. The government also committed to annually provide the Municipality of Olivais with a sum equivalent to the expenses incurred by the Lisbon Municipal Council in the territory of the newly created municipality related to public lighting and road maintenance, until these matters were regulated. Finally, the Civil Governor of Lisbon would provisionally determine, within 60 days, the new municipality's boundaries, which, after a year, would become definitive, subject to a proposal from the same governor, accompanied by information from the competent authorities and any received complaints, a proposal contingent upon government confirmation or alteration. Between 1852 and 1886 Santa Maria dos Olivais formed a large municipality, predominantly rural, including 22 civil parishes.



It covered an area of approximately 223 square kilometers and had a population of 25,495 inhabitants in 1864,

which increased to 29,491 inhabitants by 1878.

The headquarters of the Olivais Municipal Council were situated at Largo do Leão in São Jorge de Arroios. This building still stands today, currently housing the Professional School of Arts, Technologies, and Sports (EPAD), after serving as a primary school for many years.

Indeed, by a decree dated July 18, 1885, the Lisbon municipality annexed the parishes of Beato, Charneca, Ameixoeira, Lumiar, Campo Grande, and even the parish of Olivais to the Municipality of Olivais.

Following the dissolution of the Belém municipality, the parishes of Carnide and Odivelas were temporarily incorporated into the Municipality of Olivais, albeit for only one year. In 1886, the southernmost parishes were integrated into the city of Lisbon, and the following year, the municipality's seat was relocated to the town of Loures, thereby formally dissolving the Municipality of Olivais and establishing the new Municipality of Loures. The parish of Santo Estêvão das Galés became part of the Mafra municipality.



The Olivais Municipal Council convened for the last time in its official capacity at the Town Hall, now situated outside its boundaries at Largo do Leão, on December 30, 1886. The council members included the following: President, Barão de Vale Formoso, Tomás António Barbosa Leitão; Vice-President, João Antunes Pomba; and Councillors, Manuel Rodrigues Azevedo, Olegário Luís António de Sousa, Joaquim Marques Ferreira, Fernando Silvestre Alves, and Francisco Pereira Pedroso. On January 2, 1887, the council administered the oath of office to the new Municipal Council of Loures in the same location. On the 3rd of January, the same council convened an extraordinary meeting to address various matters, including urgent contracts, public lighting, municipal personnel, and the cleanliness of some parishes. The first regular session took place on January 7, with the council remaining at the "extinct" Municipality of Olivais until July. The session on the 7th was conducted in the council's own premises at the Palácio dos Marqueses da Praia in the Mealhada district.

Additionally, on a temporary basis, the parishes of Camarate and Sacavém (intramuros) remained within the jurisdiction of Lisbon until 1895 when they permanently transitioned to the Loures municipality.

Urbanization and new boundaries (1886-2012)


On September 26, 1895, a decree was approved that separated the extramural part of the Sítio dos Marcos from the Olivais Parish and joined it to the newly created Loures Municipality. Later, by Decree No. 15,222 dated March 23, 1928, the extramural part of the Sítio dos Marcos became the Moscavide Parish.

Established in 1897, already under the administration of the Lisbon municipality, the Cemetery of Olivais, formerly part of the extinct council of Olivais, is situated on the grounds where the Convent of São Cornélio stood in 1674. On the path to the cemetery chapel, the oldest burial plots were constructed, including that of the Viscount of Olivais, a philanthropist who financed and established a refuge for the most underprivileged children in the area. This refuge still exists today as a daycare and kindergarten under the auspices of the D. Pedro IV Foundation.



1940 saw the construction of the first structures of Lisbon Airport, in fact, significant part of the territory of the Olivais parish is occupied by said airport. Humberto Delgado Airport served approximately 33.65 million passengers in 2023, being the busiest airport in Portugal, the fourth busiest in the Iberian Peninsula and the 12th busiest in Europe.

On February 7, 1959, a decree was approved that altered the administrative division of Lisbon, creating new parishes and adjusting existing ones. As a result, the massive Olivais parish was reduced to the following boundaries: "Starting from the edge of the Tejo River near Cabo Ruivo, it follows northwest along the axis of Lisbon's Second Circular Road. After passing the airport roundabout, it continues for about 1100 meters along the projected axis of the aforementioned circular road until it reaches the point closest to the same circular road, near the longest runway of Lisbon Airport (N.E.-S.W.). From here, it continues, skirting the airport, along the western side (along the edge of the lands reserved by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation for the expansion of runways) until it reaches the circumferential road that limits the city and the municipality of Lisbon. It then continues east along the municipal boundary until it reaches the Tejo River. Finally, it turns south, following the riverbank until the starting point."

In the second half of the XX century the parish experienced sustained demographic growth. During this period many buildings were built, with contribution also from renowned Portuguese architects such as Cândido Palma de Melo, José Rafael Botelho and Raul Hestnes Ferreira.

In the 1960s, with the occupation of regional properties already in the possession of the Lisbon Municipal Council, the parish gained in terms of real estate and population what it had gradually lost in proportion, shedding its rustic characteristics and picturesque divisions that had been maintained for nearly 600 years. The parish became an highly urbanized area located within the historic region of Estremadura.

The Cine-Teatro da Encarnação, an emblematic building found in Olivais, was inaugurated on April 7, 1968, by the then President of the Republic, Américo Tomás. Located on Rua da Quinta de Santa Maria, it was, for years, the most emblematic cinema in the eastern part of the city. At that time, the 2nd Circular road had not yet been built, which passes not far from this area. In 1969, the cinema underwent renovation, especially its balcony, which did not allow viewers to watch films properly. With a capacity to accommodate 750 spectators, it was a meeting point and landmark of the Encarnação neighborhood. However, this space stopped showing films in 2000, currently functioning as a theater and cultural and sports complex of the Sports and Cultural Association of Encarnação and Olivais (ADCEO).

In 1989 the Escola de Comércio de Lisboa (ECL), an educational institution in Lisbon, offering commerce-related vocational and academic training, was established in the parish.



In 1998 Olivais and Cabo Ruivo metro stations opened to the public, being the first two stations of Lisbon metro ever built in Olivais parish. Their inauguration coincided with Expo 1998.

With the increase in Lisbon's population, particularly in this parish, the need arose for several expansions of the cemetery and the construction of the city's second crematorium (after the one of Alto de São João Cemetery, in Penha de França) in December 2002. In 2009, a third furnace was added, providing the municipality with the necessary infrastructure to timely meet the demand for cremation services. Some prominent figures of our culture, such as journalist Carlos Pinto Coelho, poet and actress Rosa Lobato de Faria, actors António Feio and Pedro Pinheiro (actor), musician Zé Pedro (musician), among many others, have been cremated here.

In 2002 the ancient posto sanitário da Encarnação was rebuilt and redesigned so as to host, since 2005, the national Bromatology laboratory, planned against biological warfare. These laboratories are designed for screening microbiological and toxic agents, usable in terrorist attacks.

Infrastructure development (2012 - present)
In 2012, as part of the administrative reorganization of the city of Lisbon, the parish of Santa Maria dos Olivais (then renamed to the Parish of Olivais) was subdivided, losing approximately 25% of its territory (the waterfront area of the former Expo '98) to the new parish of Parque das Nações. Additionally, it underwent some adjustments in its boundaries with neighboring parishes.

In 2012 three additional stations of Lisbon metro opened in the parish. They are, respectively, Moscavide, Encarnação and Aeroporto. The latter connects Lisbon airport with the city centre, making travel between the two extremely easy. In the same year, the number of passengers passing through Lisbon airport reached 15 million, the highest number ever recorded.

By 2014 the old shanty town of Quinta da Vitória was completely demolished. It was one of the last slums still existing in Lisbon. In the early 1990s, as many as 400 families lived in shacks in this area, shared between Lisbon and Loures municipality. After the first shacks were built in the late 1960s by Portuguese migrants, mainly from the northern region of the country, the main growth of the neighborhood occurred after the independence of the African countries formerly colonized by Portugal. There was an initial peak in growth in the second half of the 1970s, corresponding to the migratory dynamics following independence, and a second peak in the early 1980s, primarily by Hindus from Mozambique who fled due to the escalation of the civil war. In 1993, when PER program was initiated, Quinta da Vitória was one of the hundreds of shantytowns found in Lisbon. Starting from 2002, when Alfredo Bensaúde government-fund neighbourhood was built, families started being relocated there, with the last shacks being demolished in 2014. Thanks to heavy public investment towards social neighbourhoods in the late 1990s and early 2000s, there are currently no slums in Olivais.

Historical resident population (before the 2012 Administrative Reform)


The resident population recorded according to Censuses carried over the years is shown in the following table for Olivais. It is noteworthy that Olivais gained 50,045 people from 1960 to 1981. In little over 20 years, the parish population grew by +420.69%. The rapid demographic growth was due to the completion of the urbanization process involving Olivais Sul, Olivais Norte and Encarnação areas.

It is noteworthy noticing that the parish population decreased by 15,531 people from 1981 to 2001. This population loss is mainly attributable to shrinking family sizes and migration of young copules towards municipalities in the outskirts of Lisbon, such as Odivelas, Amadora or Loures, whose population swelled between 1970 to 2001, due to continued emigration from within Lisbon.

Interestingly, the population recorded a growth between 2001 and 2011, although this is mainly due to the urbanisation of Parque das Nações following the 1998 Expo. This area has not been a part of Olivais since 2012. In fact, adjusting the population of the parish recorded in the 2011 census to the new boundaries, it is highlighted how 33.8% of the parish's population inhabited areas that were transferred to other freguesias, although the overwhelming majority had their residence moved to the newly formed freguesia of Parque das Nações.

Taking into account the boundaries established in 2012, the parish population decreased by 4.8% between 2011 and 2021, losing 1,609 inhabitants.

Employement
In the parish of Olivais there are 1,423 residents who, as of 2021, were unemployed. Of these, 40.69% received a state-fund subsidy or pension (41.34% in Lisbon). In 2021 the unemployment rate in the parish is considerably higher than the one recorded for Lisbon and for Portugal as a whole, standing at 9.80%. In the same year, Portugal as a whole had an unemployment rate of 8.13% that has progressively decreased to 6.1% in 2023. As the statistics dealing with unemployment at the parish level are available only every 10 years, the current (2023) unemployment rate in Olivais is unknown. Amongst youth aged 15–24 the unemployment rate in 2021 in the parish stood at 25.98%, 39.08% higher than in the rest of the country.

On the other hand, in 2021 13,097 residents were employed, of which 78.38% were employees and 18.94% were independent workers. Below is the table showing the employment rate per age group. The low share of people aged 20–24 employed is due to the fact that many are still in education (e.g. university) while the low proportion of those in employment aged 60–64 is due to many being early pensioners. Dealing with commuting, the residents of Olivais spent 23.12 minutes of daily commuting, 1 minute more than the average inhabitant of Lisbon.

Companies with head offices in Santa Maria dos Olivais and Portela Airport include TAP Portugal and CTT Correios de Portugal, S.A.

Landmarks


Local landmarks include:
 * A Varina: 1965 statue by José Laranjeira Santo dedicated to varinas, women associated with selling fish and other fresh produce in the markets and streets of Lisbon. They carry baskets or buckets filled with fresh fish, seafood, and other delicacies, selling them to local residents. They are an iconic figure of Lisbon's culture, representing the authenticity and tradition of the city
 * António Damásio High school: Built in 2011, it was distinguished with an Honorable Mention in the 2011 Valmor and Municipal Architecture Prize
 * Bartolomeu de Gusmão statue: Monument inaugurated in 1973
 * Capela da Quinta da Fonte do Anjo
 * Casa da Fonte do Anjo
 * Casa da Quinta do Policarpo, also known as Bengazil Palace, was built on the initiative of the politician and entrepreneur Policarpo José Machado (1796-1875)
 * Conjunto da Praça da Viscondessa dos Olivais
 * Dracaena draco L: Green monument
 * Edifício da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária: Modern building dating from 1999 which received an Honorable Mention for the 1999 Valmor Prize
 * Fernando Pessoa statue: Monument inaugurated in 1988
 * Igreja Catolica Missionários da Consolata - Lisboa: Church of a Catholic organization operating in Portugal since 1944
 * Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição Olivais Sul: Church built in 1988 in modernist style
 * Igreja de São José dos Olivais: Church built in 1960
 * João Ferreira do Amaral statue: Statue built in Macau in 1940, after the handover of Macau in 1999, it was decided it ought to be put in Olivais
 * Lagunaria patersonii (Andrewes) G. Don: Green monument
 * Lisbon Airport
 * Monumentos "As Oliveiras": Monument designed in 1989 by Samuel Azavey Torres de Carvalho, unveiled in 1990 on Cidade de Bissau Street, Olivais-Sul, by Lisbon City Council. Standing 5m tall, it depicts iron plates resembling olive trees, arranged in two vertical planes, allowing an iron tree to fit like a puzzle
 * Movimento dos Capitães de Abril: The sculpture in Olivais Norte, Lisbon, commemorates the clandestine meeting of the April Captains Movement on February 5, 1974. Unveiled on February 5, 1999, it depicts military figures and carnations
 * Museu ANA - Museu do ar: Small museum of 700 square meters that illustrates the history of the airport; it is also a "showroom" for the Museu do Ar in Alverca, more than 10 times bigger, and in Sintra.
 * Palácio do Contador-Mor, a pedagogic farm
 * Quinta da Bica
 * Quinta da Fonte do Anjo: A noble residence in Pombaline style built in the second half of the 18th century.
 * Parque do Vale do Silêncio, designed by Manuel de Sousa da Câmara in 1950
 * Recriação statue: Monument inaugurated in 1989
 * Rotunda do Relógio
 * Rua dos Eucaliptos Geomonument
 * Statue of Saint Cristopher: Monument inaugurated in 1969
 * Um olhar sobre a Cidade statue: Monument inaugurated in 2013

Culture
Amongst many cultural associations found in the parish, it is important to remember that the Portuguese Poets associaiton has its headquarters in the parish of Olivais.

It is also noteworthy that Olivais hosts a large Parque Agrícola (Agricultural Park).

Since 2022, also, the Innovation and Design Building, a cultural space with coworking areas has been active in Olivais Sul.

Notable people

 * João Morais Leitão (1938-2006): Portuguese politician and lawyer
 * Simone de Oliveira (1938): Portuguese singer of n São Tomé and Príncipe and Belgian descent who represented her country twice at the Eurovision Song Contest
 * Hélder Tavares (1989): Portuguese footballer of Cape Verdean descent