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The scalabitan

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It is one of the most remarkable places of the Portuguese history.

Santarem is a cross between the past and present. Its name is indelibly associated with two great historical figures of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques and Salgueiro Maia. First things first, facing the famous gates of the Sun the King longed to expand his territory towards the sea, this was his dream. The first step to achieve this chimera was crossing the river Tagus. The city dominated by Muslims was not only rich, but also facilitated the entrance to Lisbon a vital strategic landmark for his conquest scheme. Santarem was taken by the King himself in the dead of night with a small army of 120 men that caught the Moors by surprise; they were decimated and humiliated with such audacious victory, thus contributing further to the mythical aura of the sovereign warrior. One of spoils of that bloody battle is the castle that still dominates the city's landscape until today. From its towering battlements we can lose our sight on the view, in all its might and splendor, the green fertile banks of the Tagus and the older houses. What once was a place of death and pain is now the preferred site of sweet valentine's with their vows of love and also the amorous glances of the newlyweds.

Eight hundred years later, a man also a soldier, a warrior of modern times, appealed calmly but firmly to battle in these terms: "Gentlemen, as you all know, there are various forms of state. The social state, the corporate state and the state we have reached. Yet in this solemn night, we end up with the state we have reached! So anyone who wants to come with me, come to Lisbon and ended up with this. Whoever is voluntary exist and form a line. Who does not want to leave, stay here! "And so they left this mystic city, a group of 250 men with an armored column headed by Salgueiro Maia that surrounded the courtyard of the Belem Palace and ended the dictatorship that ruled for almost 40 years Portugal. By way of honoring him the people, erected a monument at the exact place where the military command left taking with them winds of change from this warrior metropolis stage of great social and territorial upheaval. But, not only of war and man lives Santarem it is also the guardian of architectural relics that ennobles it even more. The city is the capital of the Gothic style; although many of the monuments are in poor condition you can visit one of its greatest exponents, the Church of St. Augustine of Grace. The seminar in the very center of the town, is another of the monument of a poor country, several generations of young men acceded to free education with the promise of a life devoted to religion. Santarem is thus a city full of ghosts, warriors and exploits that have indelibly wrote the history of our country.

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