OLIVEIRA DO HOSPITAL
40° 21′ 32″ N; 7° 51′ 45″ W
It is crossed by several rivers, where the Alva and the Alvôco stand out.
Inhabited by ancient civilizations, Oliveira do Hospital has Roman settlements, Visigothic relics, noble Gothic mansions as well as ancient villages built of slate. One can find Neolithic and Bronze Age burial grounds and genuine religious and rural relics such as the large granite outcroppings used as threshing floors, the Holy Cross Church and the Ferreiros Chapel, a Roman Gothic style temple dating to the 13th century, and the Church of Sao Gião, known as the cathedral of its region due to its richly carved and painted 18th-century Baroque interior.It is located at the northern edge of the district of Coimbra in the foothills of the Serra da Estrela Mountains, bisected by the Alva and Alvoco River valleys. Administratively, the municipality is divided into 16 civil parishes (freguesias): Aldeia das Dez; Alvoco das Várzeas; Avô; Bobadela; Ervedal and Vila Franca da Beira; Lagares; Lagos da Beira and Lajeosa; Lourosa; Meruge; Nogueira do Cravo; Oliveira do Hospital and São Paio de Gramaços; Penalva de Alva and São Sebastião da Feira; Santa Ovaia e Vila Pouca da Beira; São Gião; Seixo da Beira.
Economy
Its fertile geographic position favors agriculture, which is the dominant activity of the region with wine and cheeses being important products. Regarding its business sector, confections, machine tools, packaging, and toys are the most important. Oliveira do Hospital is known for its natural environment, cuisine, arts, and crafts.
Transport
Although Oliveira do Hospital is well within the interior of the country, transportation services are quite adequate and have been increasing as befits a growing region. There are several roads to the coast and other cities, the best known being the scenic Estrada da Beira.
The Bridge with Three Entrances (Ponte das Três Entradas), a very rare three-way bridge, crosses the Alva River at Oliveira do Hospital.
