MG-Inglês

The life and history of Marinha Grande began in the fifteenth century when the Leiria Pine Forest planted by King Afonso III, and mainly by King D. Dinis around 100 years later, began to produce the timber required for building the carracks and caravels for the Portuguese voyages of discovery.
Marinha Grande developed even more whenever the Guilherme Stephens Royal Glass Factory was built in 1769, at the initiative of the Marquis of Pombal, justified by a plentiful supply of the required raw materials - firewood and sand. But the past of glass and crystal making are also marked by the skill and talent of many generations of artists cum workers, who in blowing glass, or in cutting it, turned a ball of molten fire into the finest, most delicate crystal item worthy of being part of a royal table service. Nowadays the main monuments in Marinha Grande are its factories. Many, apart from lofty chimneys and ancient facades, house the machinery used in the past side with fine glass and crystal items in museums where the life, art and techniques are explained covering centuries of history. Visit the Stephens Brothers Factory-School and the Museum of the Santos Barosa Glass Factory.
Later, stroll through the center of the town, leaving from Guilherme Stephens Square distinguished by its pleasant series of Pombaline-style buildings, dating from the eighteenth century, one of the most important being the Town Hall, formerly a dependency of the neighboring Stephens Brothers Factory. Beyond the iron gates of the "Old Factory" popular denomination given to the Stephens Brothers Factory, lies the elegant garden surrounded by three symmetrical buildings, the location of the museum, the early glass factory and former administration buildings. In the center of the square there is a bust of Guilherme Stephens and at one end is located the municipal market, formerly an old resin factory (1859). The streets converging on this square are the commercial center of town and they are reserved for pedestrians.
After a visit to the municipal garden, visit the Parque do Engenho, located at the exit to the town, on highway EN 242-1 to Vieira de Leiria. The park owes its name to a saw mill, driven by wind power, built here in 1724 at the orders of King John V.

An ecological paradisefor sportif training and to live with nature
Marinha Grande is an athlete's paradise from beginning to end. A network of roads running through the 12000 hectare pine forest established by King Dinis, provide an idyllic training ground.
The 10 Km of coastline stretches from the typical fishing town of "Praia da Vieira" in the North, to "S. Pedro de Moel" in the South. The later is know for its historic roots, and its present day popularity with people from all over. Known as a centre for glass-making, Marinha Grande has long been a base for Portuguese athletes. Some of whom rank among the best European sports people in their respective fields. These include Rosa Mota, Domingos Castro, Dionísio Castro, the Portuguese Olympic team and national football aquads. All of the above benefits from the mild climate, and the calm atmosphere in S. Pedro de Moel during competition preparation.
	Marinha Grande has several tennis "courts", 2 excellent gyms, an astro-turfed stadium, 2 swimming pools and countless other facilities offered by local clubs. Local acomodation exists in the form hotels and boarding houses, all of which have excellent facilities. The area´s attractiveness to athletes is improving constantly. Among the most favoured sports are, football, athleticism, tennis, handball, basketball an judo. Marinha Grande offers an open invitation to all European athletes, so that they may also benefit from the incomparable sporting facilities and natural surroudings of Marinha Grande.

Glass and Crystal Ware
Located at the eastern edge of the Leiria Pine Forest, the city of Marinha Grande owes its existence to the proximity of the pine forest and since the eighteenth century to glass manufacturing established here.
In fact it was in 1769 that King Joseph I, at the initiative of the Minister, the Marquis de Pombal, invited the English industrialist Guilherme Stephens to visit the Court. In the same year, the Stephens family settled in Marinha Grande and building began on the Royal Glass Factory, according to Guilherme Stephens' own project.
In 1770, with the help of glass workers from Geneva (Italy) and some Portuguese, glass packaging and window panes were first produced. From the very start the art and skill of the Portuguese workers made the factory famous.
By the start of the nineteenth century crystal was produced and with this came an elite of glass workers and glass cutters, who could cut the most beautiful designs into crystal using a cutters' wheel.

After two hundred and fifty years of art and tradition in manufacturing of glass, it was born in Marinha Grande in 1998, the Museu do Vidro, where is deposited a wide patrimony, testimony of the strong industrial activity of this region.The current museum in the Stephens Brothers Factory-School exhibits artistic window panes, old glass dating from when the factory was founded, admirable collections of glasses and goblets, jars, vases and other valuable cut crystal items, representative pieces of the local and national production of glasses, from the eighteen to the twenty century, which reflet not only the techniques evolution, processes of manufacturing, liking and artistic influences, but also the art and the knowledge of the greatest masters of glass, conveyed from generation to generation in these last two and half centuries.
The Stephen's Palace is dated to the end of the third quarter of the eighteen-century. It's a building of simple and harmonious out-lines, built to residence of the English Industrial and owner of the Real Fábrica de Vidros da Marinha Grande, William Stephens. The surrounded space of the Palace, is marked by the existence of some industrial architectonic elements, which belonged to the old factory, and characterise the strong industrial component in which it was always been inserted.
In 1989 the Santos Barosa Museum was inaugurated as part of the first centenary celebrations of the company which throughout its long history produced every type of glass item. In the closing decades it specialized in the production of bottles.
In the museum, installed in a building dating from the twenties, there is an exhibition of items and utensils used in the manual production of glass as well as a glass kiln.
Other traditional activities connected to glass and crystal are hand painting of glass items, craft work and sculpture in crystal, or items in blown glass made by former, inventive glass workers.
Another important use of crystal was to make items for lighting, also produced in the factory, particularly the famous Marinha Grande crystal chandeliers.
The glass and crystal factories that receive tourist visits, with previous booking are the following:

MANDATA

Rua Manuel Pereira Roldão

Tel.: 244 566 001

CRISAL - Atlantis

Industrial area of Marinha Grande

SANTOS BAROSA - (Factory Museum)

Zona da Estação - Cumeira

Telef.:244 570 100

JASMIM - Estrada de Leiria, 227

Tel.: 244 568 784

DÂMASO - Vidros de Portugal SA Rua Pires de Campos - Apt. 4 Telef.: 244 698 100 2431-909 Vieira de Leiria




The Coast and Vieira Beach
A series of quiet beaches, with long stretches of sunny sands and enticing waves. Behind stand dunes and the magnificent Leiria Pine Forest.
Going North, visit Pedra Lisa beach. This is a quiet beach, embraced by a high dunes affording a fine sea view, cut in places by small courses of pure water and streams that rise in the Pine Forest, in a beautiful area of sand dunes known as Valeiras.
A stone's throw ahead, towards the North, is the lovely beach of S. Pedro de Moel, backed by pine forests, elegant houses and a past marked by aristocracy. Then take a look at the sea, the waves and the rocks around the light house. Along the roadside pines kneel in the dunes their trunks and branches sculpted into unique shapes. Praia da Concha is a small beach, sheltered between two cliffs. Stop and stroll a little along the southern cliff. Mid way the view is magnificent. A further 10 Kilometers of beach follow, sand dunes and pine woods. First is Praia Velha and then small mouth of the S. Pedro River. Then comes Praia das Pedras Negras. Further on there is a vast clean beach frequented by seagulls and sea breeze. This is a vast area of blue and gold, almost unique for peacefully enjoying the excitement of fishing, wind surf or simply strolling along the shore.
Praia da Vieira, formerly a fishermen's beach which is increasingly turning into an excellent summer tourist resort. Along its sands there are still fishermen's nets, the lively colors of sunshades and boats with long oars waiting for the adventures of the seas and another catch. On summer days, early in the morning and at low tide the fishermen put out to sea. Only the women and the older members of the community are left behind on the shore and they give the boat the final push and secure the ropes of the fishing nets. As the oars bite the water the boat moves out in a semi-circle and the nets are caste into the sea. On their return to land, every one helps the fishermen bring in the net. Then, when the fish lie sparkling on the shore, the fish are auctioned and laughter and the luck of the catch are shared. The handicrafts and cuisine of Praia da Vieira are proof of the wealth of the connection between man and the sea, to be enjoyed in the flavor of fish stews and shellfish rice, or in the lively colors of the hand carved miniature fishing boats.


São Pedro de Moel
A splendid beach lies between the pine forest and sea, sheltered in the protective shell of cottages built with fine taste and an air of aristocracy. The hotels and the magnificent ocean swimming pool look onto the sea. Surfing goes on here practically all year round.
Spend a while enjoying some days at the seaside, in the sun and the iodine laden breeze which cools the enthusiasm of the fans of volley ball on the shore.
At other times you can play tennis in the shade of the pine woods, jog or ride a bicycle along the "Volta aos Cinco", which begins at the highway close to the Orbitur camping ground, passes the "Arvores", and continues to the left as far as Praia Velha where the track turns right to return to S. Pedro at the side of the sea and the Penedo da Saudade light house. Enjoy the excitement of deep sea fishing and underwater fishing because to the north of S. Pedro beach there are rocky inlets that attract different species of fish such as sbream, bass, and conger eel, all fish which, along with shellfish, are also commonly served in the restaurants of S. Pedro de Moel.
Visit the museum and the home of the poet Afonso Lopes Vieira, the facade of which is in the style of the architect Raul Lino, and view the different personal items of the poet inside including a collection of drawings, works of art and many works of poetry, theatre and novels by Afonso Lopes Vieira (1878-1946) considered to be the most important literary figure in the district of Leiria. In the evening the promenades and magnificent sunsets are an introduction to the elegant, cosmopolitan and lively atmosphere of a night in S. Pedro de Moel.

The Historic Leiria Pine Forest
The Leiria Pine Forest is a forest of wild pine covering around 11,500 hectares, and also known as the King's Pine Forest. It crosses the whole district of Marinha Grande from north to south.
In the thirteenth century, during the reign of King Afonso III, planting first began in the Leiria Pine Forest, although it was King Dinis (1279-1325) who increased and organized planting, not only to anchor the sands that the winds from the coast dragged inland, but also to serve the Crown's maritime and commercial interests.
The pine forest was to produce large quantities of timber which served for shipbuilding as well as export.
As the discoveries progressed and the Portuguese maritime empire expanded in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the pine forest was increasingly exploited and timber was taken to the former port of Paredes and then downstream on the S. Pedro river to the sea.
The different planting cycles in the pine forest corresponded to the different uses made of the timber, for firewood for heating homes and the production of coal for the metal smelting kilns and the glass industry.
In Pedreanes, Quinta da Moleirinha, there is an interesting center of industrial archaeology which includes the ruins of smelting works dating from the second half of the nineteenth century.
Smelting tradition in Marinha Grande is related to the manufacture of bronze, iron, steel aluminum moulds, required for decorating glass.
Crossing the pine forest in the direction of the sea climb to Alto dos Picotes, close to EN 242-2, where there is an endless view of the pine forests.
Another fine place for observing the vastness of this «green and murmuring cathedral» (A. Lopes Vieira) is from the look-out post at Ponto Novo, at an altitude of 110 meters. To get there start along the route of the "Volta aos Cinco" and then "Arvores" turn right, around 500 meters later turn left once again and at the head of the road is Ponto Novo built in 1937 as a look-out station for forest fires.