Évora is a Portuguese city in the municipality of Évora. , it had 41,159 inhabitants.

Due to its well-preserved old town centre, still partially enclosed by medieval walls, and a large number of monuments dating from various historical periods, including a Roman Temple, Évora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network.

Évora is ranked number two in the Portuguese most livable cities survey of living conditions published yearly by ''Expresso''. It was ranked first in a study concerning competitiveness of the 18 Portuguese district capitals, according to a 2006 study made by Minho University economic researchers.

Geography

The city is composed of the parishes of Santo Antão, São Mamede, and Sé e São Pedro in the historical centre and the urban parishes of Bacelo, Horta das Figueiras, Malagueira, and Senhora da Saúde outside the ancient city walls

History

During the barbarian invasions, Évora came under the rule of the Visigothic king Leovirgild in 584. The town was later raised to the status of a cathedral city. Nevertheless, this was a time of decline and very few artifacts from this period remain.

In 715, the city was conquered by the Moors under Tariq ibn-Ziyad who called it Yaburah يابرة. During their rule (715–1165), the town slowly began to prosper again and developed into an agricultural center with a fortress and a mosque. The present character of the city is evidence of the Moorish influence. During that time, several notables hailed from Evora, including Abdul Majid ibn 'Abdun Al-Yaburi عبد المجيد بن عبدون اليابري, a poet whose diwan still survives to this day.

Évora was wrested from the Moors through a surprise attack by Gerald the Fearless (Geraldo Sem Pavor) in September 1165. The town came under the rule of the Portuguese king Afonso I in 1166. It then flourished as one of the most dynamic cities in the Kingdom of Portugal during the Middle Ages, especially in the 15th century. The court of the first and second dynasties resided here for long periods, constructing palaces, monuments and religious buildings. Évora became the scene for many royal weddings and a site where many important decisions were made.

Particularly thriving during the Avis Dynasty (1385–1580), especially under the reign of Manuel I and John III, Évora became a major centre for the humanities (André de Resende - buried in the cathedral) and artists, such as the sculptor Nicolau Chanterene; the painters Cristóvão de Figueiredo and Gregório Lopes; the composers Manuel Cardoso and Duarte Lobo; the chronicler Duarte Galvão; and the father of Portuguese drama, Gil Vicente.

Évora also held a large part of the slave population of Portugal. Nicolas Clenard, a Flemish tutor at the Portuguese court, exclaimed in 1535 that "In Evora, it was as if i had been carried off to a city in hell:everywhere I only meet blacks." Records show that in 1562, D. Maria de Vilhena, a Portuguese woman in Évora, owned a Chinese male slave.

The city became the seat of an archbishopric in 1540. The university was founded by the Jesuits in 1559, and it was here that great European Masters such as the Flemish humanists Nicolaus Clenardus (Nicolaas Cleynaerts) (1493–1542), Johannes Vasaeus (Jan Was) (1511–1561) and the theologian Luis de Molina passed on their knowledge. In the 18th century, the Jesuits, who had spread intellectual and religious enlightenment since the 16th century, were expelled from Portugal, the university was closed in 1759 by the Marquis of Pombal, and Évora went into decline. The university was only reopened in 1973.

In 1834, Évora was the site of the surrender of the forces of King Miguel I, which marked the end of the Liberal Wars.

The many monuments erected by major artists of each period now testify to Évora's lively cultural and rich artistic and historical heritage. The variety of architectural styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Baroque), the palaces and the picturesque labyrinth of squares and narrow streets of the city centre are all part of the rich heritage of this museum-city.

Today, the historical centre has about 4,000 buildings and an area of 1.05 km².

Main sights

Roman Temple of Évora: Improperly called Diana Temple, this 1st century-temple was probably dedicated to the Cult of Emperor Augustus (but some texts date it to the second or even the third century). It is one of a kind in Portugal. The temple was incorporated into a mediaeval building and thus survived destruction. It has become the city's most famous landmark. The temple in Corinthian style has six columns in front (Roman hexastyle) with in total fourteen granite columns remaining. The base of the temple, the capitals and the architraves are made of marble from nearby Estremoz. The intact columns are high. It can be compared to the Maison Carrée in Nîmes, France.

Giraldo Square (''Praça do Geraldo''): Centre of the city; in this square King Duarte built the Estaus Palace which even today maintains its Gothic look. The Renaissance fountain (''fonte Henriquina'') dates from 1570. Its eight jets symbolize the eight streets leading into the square. At the northern end of the quare lies St Anton's church (''Igreja de Santo Antão'') built by Manuel Pires, also from the 16th century. This is a rather plump church with three aisles. The antependium of the altar displays a valuable 13th century Roman-Gothic bas relief. In 1483 Fernando II, Duke of Braganza was decapitated on this square, in the presence of his brother-in-law king John II. This square also witnessed thousands of ''autos-da-fé'' during the period of the Inquisition; 22.000 condemnations, it seems, in about 200 years.

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal, since 1986. Suzdal, Russia, since 1986. Mozambique Island, Mozambique, since 1997. Chartres, France, since 2003. Tønsberg, Norway, since 2003.

Other relations

See also

References

External links

* Category:Cities in Portugal Category:World Heritage Sites in Portugal Portugal

Cesária Évora (; 27 August 1941 – 17 December 2011) was a Cape Verdean popular singer. Nicknamed the "barefoot diva" for performing without shoes, she was one of the best-known international practitioners of ''morna''.

Life and career

In the 1960s, she started singing on Portuguese cruise ships stopping at Mindelo as well as on the local radio. It was only in 1985 when at the invitation of Cape Verdean singer Bana she went to perform in Portugal. In Lisbon she was discovered by the musician José da Silva and invited to record in Paris.

Évora's international success came only in 1988 with the release of her first album ''La Diva Aux Pieds Nus'' recorded in France. Her 1992 album ''Miss Perfumado'' sold over 300,000 copies worldwide.

Her 1995 album ''Cesária'' brought her broader international success and the first Grammy Award nomination. In 1997, she won KORA All African Music Awards in three categories: ''Best Artist of West Africa, Best Album'' and ''Merit of the Jury''. In 2004, her album ''Voz d'Amor'' was awarded a Grammy in the World music category.

In 2010, Évora performed a series of concerts, the last of which was in Lisbon on 8 May. Two days later, after a heart attack, she was operated on at a hospital in Paris. On the morning of 11 May she was taken off artificial pulmonary ventilation, and on 16 May she was discharged from the intensive care unit and transported to a clinic for further treatment. In late September 2011, Évora's agent announced she was ending her career due to poor health.

On 17 December 2011, aged 70, Évora died in São Vicente, Cape Verde, from cardiorespiratory insufficiency and hypertension. A spanish newspaper reported that 48 hours before her death she was still receiving people -and smoking- in her home in Mindelo, popular for having always its doors open.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations & live albums

References

External links

Category:1941 births Category:2011 deaths Category:Cape Verdean singers Category:Deaths from respiratory disease Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People from São Vicente, Cape Verde

Victoria Ruffo (born Maria Victoria Eugenia Guadalupe Martínez del Río Moreno-Ruffo on May 31, 1961 in Mexico City) is a Mexican actress. Ruffo, the surname she uses professionally, is actually her maternal grandfather's surname.

Biography

After seeing her acting skills, Ernesto Alonso offered her lead roles in the telenovelas ''Victoria'' and ''Simplemente María'', works which brought her fame. Her recent telenovelas, "Abrazame Muy Fuerte" and the 2005 telenovela, "La Madrastra," were smash hits.

Personal life

In 2001, she married Mexican politician Omar Fayad, who is currently the municipal president of Pachuca, Hidalgo. Together, they have twin children: a boy, Anuar, and a girl, Victoria.

She is the sister of actress Gabriela Ruffo and producer Marcela Ruffo. Her maternal grandfather was of Italian descent.

Television

Filmography

References

External links

Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Mexican actors Category:Mexican telenovela actors Category:Mexican people of Italian descent Category:People from Mexico City

Biography

Leading roles in ''Luz Clarita'', ''Gente bien'' and especially ''El privilegio de amar'' soon established Évora as one of the most popular leading men in the industry. He has maintained a high profile after performances in successful productions such as ''La Madrastra'', ''La esposa Virgen'', and ''Mundo de Fieras''. He recently acted in the telenovela ''Al Diablo con los Guapos'' and in ''En Nombre del Amor''.

Évora acquired Mexican citizenship in 1999.

Family

He is the cousin of famed Cuban author Daína Chaviano.

Films

Telenovelas

References

See also

Category:1959 births Category:Cuban actors Category:People from Havana Category:Mexican actors Category:Mexican telenovela actors Category:Naturalized citizens of Mexico Category:Mexican people of Cuban descent Category:Living people

Salif Keïta (born August 25, 1949) is an internationally recognized afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the ''Golden Voice of Africa'', but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita. This royal heritage meant that under the Malian caste system, he should never have become a singer, which was deemed to be a griot’s role.

Biography

Early life

Career

Keita found success in Europe as one of the African stars of world music, but his work was sometimes criticised for the gloss of its production and for the occasional haphazard quality. However, shortly after the turn of the Millennium he returned to Bamako in Mali to live and record. His first work after going home, 2002's ''Moffou'', was hailed as his best album in many years, and Keita was inspired to build a recording studio in Bamako, which he used for his album, ''M'Bemba'', released in October 2005.

Keita's latest album, ''La Différence'', was produced around the end of 2009. The work is dedicated to the struggle of the world albino community (victims of human sacrifice), for which Keita has been crusading all his life. In one of the album's tracks, the singer calls others to understand that "difference" does not mean "bad" and to show love and compassion towards albinos like everyone else:"I am black/ my skin is white/ so I am white and my blood is black [albino]/... I love that because it is a difference that's beautiful..", "some of us are beautiful some are not/some are black some are white/all that difference was on purpose.. for us to complete each other/let everyone get his love and dignity/the world will be beautiful."

''La Différence'' is unique in that for the first time Keita has clearly and boldly combined different melodic influences to produce a highly original musical feel, with a wide range of appeal. The album was recorded between Bamako, Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles. This unique musical feel is reinforced by soulful pitches in the track "Samigna" emanating from the trumpet of the great Lebanese jazzman, Ibrahim Maaluf.

''La Difference'' won Keita one of the biggest musical awards of his career: the Best World Music 2010 at the Victoires de la musique.

Discography

References

External links

Category:1949 births Category:People with albinism Category:Living people Category:Malian musicians Category:African singers Category:Songwriters Category:Wrasse Records artists Category:World music musicians Category:Bambara-language singers