Amadora is a Portuguese city founded in 1979, belonging to the district of Lisbon. It is considered the third largest city in
Portugal and is 12 Km north-west of Lisbon.

The city was set up within the area where nowadays the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Lapa is situated, home to a particular brotherhood known to have possessed substantial assets.

This space, near Lisbon, was always considered to be a pleasurable place, abundantly supplied with water and rich soils. Therefore, the fact that evidence of roman occupation is mainly linked to farming is not at all surprising.

Throughout the course of centuries, this territory was manifestly a rural place and, just as all of the neighboring area, named yokel zone, it supplied the capital city with essential goods and workforce.

The region of Amadora served for several centuries as a summer holiday locality for wealthy families living in Lisbon. The healthfulness of the place, its proximity to the capital city, the ease in terms of communications, as well as the vast area available for housing development were the main reasons leading to the exponential growth in the number of houses built.

The train equally led to the arrival of more persons and brought winds of change. The new inhabitants wanted to transform this land into a noteworthy place for people to live in; the Corset Factory «Santos
Mattos» marked the beginning of the industrialization, the recreational facilities which included an Ice skating Rink and a ballroom welcomed the local elites, as well as the elites coming from the capital city and the setting up of the School Alexandre Herculano marked the setting into motion of a quality education designed for the sons and daughters of the city’s renowned individuals.
Among the said individuals are such renowned artists as the aquarellist Alfredo Roque Gameiro and the writer Delfim Guimarães.

Amadora, once considered a dormitory town, became self-sufficient and is today equipped with sports and cultural facilities and provided with all sorts of public services for the benefit of the population.

Amadora is composed of 11 parishes: Alfornelos, Alfragide, Brandoa, Buraca, Damaia, Falagueira, Mina, Reboleira, São Brás, Venda Nova and Venteira.

While passing by the place where nowadays the Garden «Jardim da Mina» is situated, between our Avenue, Avenida Combatentes da Grande Guerra, and Avenida General Humberto Delgado, one can still see the cave inside which the Mina d’Água (water mine) can be found. The said Mina d’Água lent its name to the Park («Parque da Mina»), as well to the parish («freguesia da Mina»).

The many mines which existed throughout the aqueduct were used for purposes of water harnessing. The entrance which led into the interior of the mine was a gallery approximately 200 meters in length.
Once crossed, such passageway led people near the said cave.

It appears that the water of this mine, possibly because it was situated in uninhabited lands, was only used by some
washerwomen, having a little tank been built there. However, it was said that the water was very good.

Mr. Cardoso Lopes was awarded a water concession in 1910. He then had the water analyzed. The analysis showed the water’s excellent quality due to the fact that it sprang from basaltic rock.

In 1913, at the time of the inauguration of the «Bairro-Parque da Mina» by the ex-President of the Republic, Manuel de Arriaga, Mr. Cardoso Lopes asked for a marble slab to be put next to the entrance to the water mine so as to mark the event. One can still see a slab there, reproducing the original which was meanwhile removed.