The factories and their integration in the city led to the creation of a “factory city”, a geographical and historical profile that would remain unaltered until the 80’s with the downfall of the wool industry.

Serra da Estrela

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The mountain is the main attribute of the city, located at the heart of Serra da Estrela up to the mountain between the river streams of Carpinteira and Goldra, which were so important to the wool industry. The University, restructured on the contemporary era, and the wool industry have shaped its social and historical profile, creating a strong imaginary. These are the cornerstones of the city. Covilhã has always been a quite singular city: in the Middle Ages, whereas the outskirts developed, the indoor area of the wall remained uninhabited. The Royalty had to issue decrees, so as to force the population to inhabit this area. It was only in the 15th century that the population on the wall zone began to increase. Houses were built across narrow streets and staircases, fitting the existing topography that can still be seen nowadays.

From then on the economy of Covilhã was based on the natural resources of the mountain.

The Wool Museum

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The origin of wool production in Covilhã may have begun among the Jewish community, very numerous during the Middle Ages. Covilhã turns into the main wool production centre in the country thanks to the river streams Carpinteira and Goldra that supplied water for wool treatment, keeping the shepherd tradition alive. In 1681, D. Pedro II, Count of Ericeira, opens the Factory-School over Carpinteira river stream, the ancient Fábrica d’el Rei D. Sebastião, later called “Fábrica Velha”.

Under the reform carried out by Marquis de Pombal on the 18th century, the factory Real Fábrica de Panos da Covilhã was founded upon the stones of demolished medieval wall near Goldra river stream.

The first weaving machines Jeacquard were placed in 1683 in Covilhã; in 1884 the Campos Melo Industrial School is founded and in 1891 the arrival of the railway is celebrated, improving the wool industry and the tourism demand for tuberculosis treatments and mountain sports.

The wool industry was the main activity of the local economy and the landscape became “industrialised”. Consequently, the city began to grow both inside and outside and many houses were rebuilt, turning Covilhã into a unique city in terms of urban evolution, like no other Portuguese city, preserving this identity until the 70’s of the 20th century.

Covilhã Museum of Art and Culture

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In the 40’s of the 20th century under the dictatorship, the new square Praça do Município was projected, along with the new City Hall building (1947), replacing the Town Hall Palace (1614). The city grew between Largo do Pelourinho and the railway station with the creation of a new structuring paths that connected the upper town to downtown. The layout of the central area of the city changes radically from 1944 to 1958 due to the opening of a new Civic Centre according to the rules of the regime. This was a unique case of a radical change of a small city’s main square. Apart from the City Hall building and the redefinition of the square, new representative elements appeared such as the headquarters of the national bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos and Teatro-Cine.

The conversion of Instituto Politécnico (1973) in University Institute (1977) and finally University (1986) led to economical and social growth, reducing the impact of the deep crisis caused by the downfall of the wool industry. As the University opened its doors in Covilhã, the university structures were placed inside the city, divided in sections, reusing most part of the former industrial facilities that were abandoned and in ruins. Old factory facilities were renewed next to Goldra river stream (Oólo I) and to Carpinteira river stream (Pólo IV), Convento de St. António (Pólo II) and Pólo III develops already in the 21st century with the Health Sciences Faculty in a new area of the city.

In the 21st century there is the need for a new look over the city, by recovering the architectural industrial heritage of the city and connecting Goldra and Carpinteira river streams through pedestrian bridges.

Carpinteira pedestrian bridge

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The extraordinary work of the architect João Luís Carrilho da Graça and the engineers António Adão da Fonseca and Carlos Quinaz – pedestrian Carpinteira Bridge – was born out of this vision. This work was awarded in the 7th Iberian-American Biennale for Architecture and Urbanism as one of the best architectural works of Latin America, Portugal and Spain. It was also awarded by AIT Global Awards (2011) and it was considered a “World’s Coolest Design Destination” by American magazine Travel&Leisure. Carpinteira Bridge was also nominated for Mies van der Rohe Awards.

The Bridge over Carpinteira river stream is one of the highest bridges in Portugal: 52m high (like a 17-storey building), 220m long and 4,40m wide. This bridge, used for walking and cycling, was built upon Carpinteira valley and the granite hills of the river stream, where the façades of the empty factories and the granite walls of wool drying structures are still to be seen.

Its apparent delicateness and frailty are essential to its beauty and singularity.

”An air of robustness and strength is very prejudicial to beauty. An appearance of delicacy, and even of fragility, is almost essential to it.” Edmund Burke, Philosophical Enquiry into the Origins of Our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful, 1757

Pedestrian Bridge in Covilhã

The Lisbon-based minimalist architect João Luis Carrilho da Graça’s walkway zigzags high above the Carpinteira river valley. Is one of the most impressive Portugal pedestrian bridges.

The sinuous and segmented design of the bridge winds above the valley, along a distance of about 220 m. The central bay takes the perpendicular to the line of the valley. The tensioned geometry of its layout interferes with visual orientation and with the perception of dominating heights of “Serra da Estrela”, on one side, and with the vastness of Cova da Beira on the lower side.

Santo André Funicular

One of its main goals was to make the pedestrian access to the old area of the city much easier. Next to the 162 steps, you can use the free funicular, running a distance of 90 meters.

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