about the place
Montemor-o-Velho lies in the Baixo Mondego, in the District of Coimbra, surrounded by rice fields that colour the landscape green and gold with the changing seasons. The town received its royal charter in May 1212, at the initiative of the infantas D. Teresa and D. Sancha, daughters of D. Sancho I, who inherited it through their father's will. In 1516, D. Manuel I granted a new royal charter, and it was during this period that the introduction of maize from the Americas transformed the local economy and shaped the customs of the region.
