The History of the city

In the XIII century Aveiro was elevated to the category of village developing the population around the main church dedicated to Saint Miguel, and where’s situated to day the Praça da Républica.
Later, D. João I , advised by his son , Infante D. Pedro , donatary of the city, order to round it of muralhas that when where destructed where used in the built of the molhes da barra nova.
In 1434 D.Duarte conceded to the village the privilege of made a Feira franca that is known today as the feira de Março.
At 1472 the daughter of D. Afonso V, infanta D: Joana entered in the convento de jesus where she died later at 12Th March 1490.Now this moment is celebrated with a holiday municipal.
The great geographic location was always very attractive for the population fixation. The Salinagem, the fishing and the maritime commerce are determinant factors to development.
At the end of the XVI century beginnings of the XVII, the instability of the communication between the river and the sea conduced to the close of the canal, turning the utilization of the port impossible and creating situations of insalubridade caused by the stagnation of the Lagoon waters what caused the diminution of the number of habitants, many of them emigrated, and consequently caused a big economic and social crisis.
It was however in this recession phase that was built, in the middle of the Philippine domain, one of the more notables temples aveirenses: the Misericórdia’s Church.
In 1759, D. José I elevated Aveiro the city, few months after having condemned for betrayal, to the scaffold, his last duke, created title, in 1547, by D. João III. For that reason to the new city New Bragança's name was given instead of Aveiro. That name was later abandoned, returning the city to the previous denomination.
In the century XIX, stands out the activa aveirenses participation in the Liberal Fights and the personality of José Estêvão Coelho of Magalhães, a parliamentarian that it played a decisive part in what respects to the fixation of the actual obstructs and in the development of the transports, very important for the development of the city.