Pontinha (Odivelas)

Although it is likely that Arabs settled in the vicinity around the 14th century, the first documented settlement dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when nobles and some clergy established estates in the area. In its history, the region was a small agglomeration of inhabitants, living along the Rio da Costa (whose spring flowed from the Casal do Castelo), and serviced by a small dock (Porto da Paiã) that allowed the transport of goods to and from Lisbon (and permitted a nascent economy). The Quinta da Pontinha existed, at least, since 1657. This farm estate changed proprietors (and names) during several centuries: at the beginning of the 18th century, it was known as Quinta dos Brasileiros (owing to its wealthy owners originating from Brazil), and after various new occupants, in 1796, it was known as Quinta dos Valadares. The Pontinha barracks were also the location from which Major Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho directed the coup d'état during the events of the revolution. The garrison was later transformed into a museum, established through a protocol between the 1st Engineering Regiment and the Comissão Instaladora do Município de Odivelas. The barracks serve nowadays as HQ of GNR's special operations group, GIOE. An administrative division of the municipality of Odivelas since 1984, under Law No. 44/84, approved on 30 November 1984 and published on 31 December 1984, it was de-annexed from the parish of Odivelas. Quickly, the parish was elevated to the status of vila or town under Law No. 75/91 (16 August 1991) and approved on 16 June 1991. ==Geography==

It is limited in the north by the Odivelan parishes of Famões and Odivelas, to the west by Amadora Municipality (the parish of Alfornelos) and in the south by the municipality of Lisbon (parish of Carnide), in addition to Sintra Municipality. The territory that composes the parish, was once a grouping of estates, farms and agricultural fields: the Escola Profissional Agrícola D. Dinis (D. Dinis Professional Agricultural School) is one of the few remnants of this era. After the 1950s, there were many demographic shifts in Lisbon that resulted in the area's increasing importance as a residential "neighborhood". These barrios, some of which had their basis in illegal squatting or tenements, have since developed into intricate parts of the community. The population is relatively youthful, with about 5% of which includes seniors or retirement age residents. The parish contains the localities Bairro Novo de Santo Elói, Paiâ, Pontinha, Presa, Serra da Luz, Vale Grande and Vale Pequeno. ==Economy==

The economy of the parish is primarily associated with the tertiary sector industries; principally, these include commercial shops, restaurants, personal and domestic services. Equally important, is the civil construction sector and industrial services, such as rubber manufacturers, metallurgy, glues/resins, marble-workers, paints and frozen products. ==Architecture==

Civic • Edifício Velho Mirante (Oldview Building) - located on Rua de Santo Eloy (in the centre of the parish), the building dates back to the 18th century, and is unusual for its trapezoidal entrance and wrought-iron gate. Although currently a restaurant, the building was owned by the 18th century nobility, a probably a carriage house. • Núcleo Museológico do Posto de Comando do MFA (Museum/Command Post of the Armed Forces Movement) - the historical command post for the MFA, responsible for toppling the dictatorship of the Estado Novo, and where Marcelo Caetano was briefly detained/arrested before being sent into exile in Madeira. ==References==