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Alvalade Commune (Portugal)

Freguesia de Alvalade, Concelho de Lisboa, Distrito de Lisboa

Last modified: 2014-12-06 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: alvalade | campo grande | sao joao de brito | olive tree | mantle | indented | swords(crossed) | star(8-point) | coronets(3) | sceptres(3) | cross(fleury) | lozengy | lion(purple) | palm(leaf) |
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[Alvalade commune logo] 2:3 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014
See also:

Introduction of Alvalade Commune

Alvalade in October 2012 merged with the communes of Campo Grande and São João de Brito, forming the new Alvalade commune, which probably has not yet flag nor arms, but a logo. Perhaps it kept its old symbols.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014


Flag of former Alvalade Commune (until 2012)

[Alvalade commune (until 2012)] 2:3 image by Sérgio Horta 18 Nov 2014,

It is a typical Portuguese communal flag, with the coat of arms centred on a field quartered of yellow and green.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Coat of arms

[Alvalade commune CoA (until 2012)] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Shield Or semy of eradicated olive trees Vert fruited Sable, in base an indented mantle issuant Vert charged with two swords Argent with hilts Or, crossed per saltire pointing downwards. Mural crown argent with three visible towers (village rank) and white scroll reading in black upper case letters FREGUESIA DE ALVALADE - LISBOA.
Meaning:
Olive trees and the indented mantle are canting elements. Olive trees grew in Alvalade since time immemorial. The base is alluding to the commune's name, probably derived from the Arab word Al-Balade, denoting a settlement enclosed by walls. The swords are reminding on the battle of Alvalade 1321 between the troops of King Dom Dinis and his son Dom Afonso, which had been impeded by intervention of Queen St. Isabel.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Flag and arms adopted and published in Diário da República: III Série on 14 Aug 1992
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Presentation of Alvalade

Alvalade was one of the 53 pre-2012 communes of Lisboa Municipality located in the 3rd district. It had 8985 inhabitants in 2011 and covered 0,6 km².
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014


Flag of former Campo Grande Commune (until 2012)

[Campo Grande commune (until 2012)] 2:3 image by Sérgio Horta 18 Nov 2014,

It is a typical Portuguese communal flag, with the coat of arms centred on a field quartered of yellow and green.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Coat of arms

[Campo Grande commune CoA (until 2012)] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Shield Vert , three coronets Or ordered per fess, accompanied beneath by three crossed sceptres Or, each one topped with a fleur-de-lis, in central chief an 8-point star Argent. Mural crown argent with three visible towers (village rank) and white scroll reading in black upper case letters "CAMPO GRANDE - LISBOA"
Meaning:
The ensemble is alluding to the local patron saints, the three Magi.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Flag and arms adopted and published in Diário da República: III Série on 20 May 1993
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014

Presentation of Campo Grande

Campo Grande, aka Santos reis do Campo Grande, was one of the 53 pre-2012 communes of Lisboa Municipality. It had 10 514 inhabitants in 2011 and covered 2,45 km².
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Nov 2014


Former São João de Brito commune (until 2013)

[São João de Brito commune (-2013)] 2:3 image by Sérgio Horta, 10 Apr 2009

It is a (argueably) slightly untypical Portuguese communal flag, with the coat of arms centred on a quartered field of red and white, usually meaning (town rank).
António Martins-Tuválkin, 10 Apr 2009

Coat of arms

[São João de Brito commune CoA (-2013)] image by Sérgio Horta, 10 Apr 2009

The arms are quartered or Pereira and Brito, I and II Gules a cross fleury Argent voided and II and III Gules lozengy Argent of three orders per pale and fess each lozenge charged with a lion purpure and over all a palm leaf or. Mural crown argent with three visible towers (village rank) and white scroll reading in black upper case letters "FREGUESIA DE S. JOÃO DE BRITO".
Meaning:
A quartered shield is the biggest no-no in the relevant law (and its legal predecessors), and the competent authority will accept any heraldic aberration to avoid it in officially accepted blazons. This case is somewhat an exception, the overall palm leaf making it heraldically acceptable as "new arms" and to a marshalling of pre-existent ones (Pereira and Brito). Pereira and Brito were the immediate ancestor houses for Saint John of Brito , son of a Salvador de Brito Pereira, and regardless of his way of life being quite away from the use of armouries (he lived 20 years of fakir-like ascetism in Tamil Nadu), those are nonetheless used to symbolize him notably in the stonework of the church of his namesake Catholic parish (coincident with the commune);
António Martins-Tuválkin, 10 Apr 2009

Flag and arms adopted and published in the official journal Diário da República: III Série on 27 October 1997
António Martins-Tuválkin, 10 Apr 2009

Presentation of São João de Brito

São João de Brito Commune was one of the 53 pre-2012 communes of Lisboa Municipality (q.v.); it had 11 727 inhabitants in 2011 and covered 2,23 km².
António Martins-Tuválkin, 10 Apr 2009


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