The municipality of Vila Real de Santo António marks the 510th anniversary of the foundation of Santo António de Arenilha with a commemorative programme, on the 8th of February.
The celebrations begin at 11:00 am, with the inauguration of the toponymic panel «Rotunda Capitão Cristóvão de Mendonça». The symbolic moment of unveiling the panel, alluding to the Commander of Arenilha, will take place at the roundabout on Avenida das Comunidades Portuguesas, in VRSA.
The initiative also includes the holding of the conference «Historical knowledge about Santo António de Arenilha: the state of the matter», which will take place at the Municipal Historical Archive António Rosa Mendes, at 18 pm, and will be led by historian and researcher Fernando Pessanha.
In 1513, on the 8th of February, the Charter of Privilege was drawn up in which King D. Manuel ordered the construction of the town of Arenilha to proceed. It is a document that formally marked the constitution of the county seat, as well as the geographical limits of the then term of Santo António de Arenilha.
The identification of new sources and their study have brought new information to the public and, in this sequence of discoveries, two documents appeared a few years ago that revealed the existence of a previously unknown commander of Arenilha: Cristóvão de Mendonça.
The captain, son of Diogo de Mendonça, chief mayor of Mourão, was one of the most controversial and controversial navigators in the history of the Portuguese Discoveries and is referred to in documentation as a nobleman of the Royal House and a knight of the Order of Christ, in 1514.
Cristóvão de Mendonça left for the East in 1519, where he was entrusted with the discovery of the mythical Ilhas do Ouro, often identified with Australia. Upon returning to the kingdom, he was generously awarded income, favors and distinctions. Highlights include his appointment to the captaincy of Ormuz, one of the most profitable and coveted in the entire Empire in the East, and a commendation of the Order of Christ: the commendation of the village of Arenilha, at the mouth of the Guadiana.
The village of Santo António de Arenilha was completely destroyed by the earthquake and subsequent seaquake of 1755, being replaced by the current Vila Real de Santo António.
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