Coats of Arms of towns and Villages with Moorish designs

Casa Do Alentejo em Lisboa ( Al-Ushbuna)

The Casa do Alentejo is a meeting place for the people from the historic province of Alentejo (além Tejo = beyond the Tagus) who live in Lisbon,This beautiful building is hidden behind a rather unprepossessing exterior.

The main function of the Casa do Alentejo is to introduce the country region to the capital and to cultivate its unique culture. The people from Alentejo moved into the Palácio Alverda in 1932.

The building is notable on account of its unusual interior. The palace dates from the last quarter of the 17th C., but its current appearance is a result of considerable alterations carried out in 1918. The Moorish looking covered inner courtyard with a small fountain in the center is impressive. Copies of the original architectural features give some impression of the Arab influenced Mudejar style which is to be found in southern Spain and Portugal particularly in southern Alentejo.

Enjoy these beautiful pictures which continuously remind me of Alhambra.

toponímia árabe em Portugal

Porta da Vila in Faro فارو

This is a list from wikipedia of names of villages, cities and councils from Portugal that derive directly from the Arabic

Esta é uma lista de nomes de cidades, vilas e freguesias portuguesas em árabe (sendo que em algumas situações o nome actual deriva directamente do topónimo árabe).
Povoação portuguesa
Nome árabe
Alandroal
Albarraque
Albarrol
Albufeira
al-Buhera
Alburitel
Alcabideche
al-Qibdhaq
Alcácer do Sal
al-Qasr-al-Baja ou al-Qasr abu Danis (قصر أبي دانس)
Alcáçovas
al-Qasba (fortificação)
Alcafache
Alcafozes
Alcains
al-Kanisa (igreja)
Alcanede
Alcanena
Alcântara
al-Qântara (ponte)
Alcantarilha
diminutivo de al-Qântara (ponte)
Alcaria
al-Qariya (vila)
Alcobaça
al-Qubasha (carneiro); também pode derivar do latim Helicobatia
Alcobertas
Alcochete
Alcoentre
Alcofra
Alcoitão
Alcongosta
Alcorochel
Alcôrrego
Alcoutim
derivado do latim Alcoutinium, manteve-se durante a ocupação muçulmana
Alcôrrego
Alfama
al-Hamma (fonte, lugar de banhos)
Alfarelos
Alfarrobeira
Alfeizerão
Alfena
Alferce
Alferrarede
Alfornelos
Algarve
al-Gharbe (o ocidente)
Algés
al-Jeis
Algeriz
Algoz
al-Ghuz (ﺰ‎ﻐ‎ﻠ‎ا )
Algueirão
al-Gar (gruta, caverna)
Alhandra
al-Hamma (fonte, lugar de banhos)
Aljazede
Aljezur
al-Jazirah (ﺮ‎ﺰ‎ﺠ‎ﻠ‎ا ilha, península)
Aljustrel
al-Lustr
Aljubarrota
Almacave
al-Mugabar (cemitério)
Almaceda
Almada
Hisn al-Madin (حصن المعدن, literalmente castelo [hisn] da cidade [al-Madin])
Almancil
Almargem do Bispo
al-Marje (prado)
Almagreira
Almeirim
al-Mairim (talvez um antropónimo)
Almendra
Almendres
Almodôvar
al-Mudawwar (المدوّر)
Almofala
Almoster
al-Monasterium (contracção do artigo definido árabe al- com o substantivo latino monasterium)
Alpalhão
Alpiarça
Alportel
Alqueva
Alqueidão
al-Qaiatun (tenda; passagem estreira)
Alvados
Alvaiázere
al-Baiaq (falcoeiro)
Alvalade
al-Balat (campo murado)
Alvelos
Alvendre
Alverca
al-Birka ou al-Borka (pântano)
Alviobeira
Alvito
Alvite
Alvites
Alviela
Alvor
Albur
Alvorge
al-burj, (البرج, a torre)
Alvorninha
Arrábida
Atianha
Azeitão
Azinhaga
Beja
al-Bajah az-Zayt (باجة الزيت)
Bensafrim
Benfica
Bobadela
abu 'Abd Allah (أبو عبد الله, filho do servo de Allah)
Cacela
Hisn-Qastalla
Cacém / Santiago do Cacém
al-Qashim (divisão)
Caia
al-Qaya
Caneças
al-Kanisa (igreja)
Castro Marim
al-Qasruh
Coimbra
al-Qulumriyya (قلمريّة), ou mais raramente Kuwīmbrā (كويمبرا)
Elvas
al-Bash
Évora
al-Yabura (يابرة)
Façalamim
Actualmente, Santiago da Guarda. O nome anterior, muçulmano, significa "Foice do Amim".
Faro
al-Farun ou al-Harun (فارو)al-Uqshunuba [Ossónoba] (أخشونبة)Shantamariyyat al-Gharb [Santa Maria do Ocidente/Santa Maria do Algarve] (شنتمريّة الغرب)
Fátima
al-Fatimah (فاطمة)
Idanha
al-Antaniya
Juromenha
al-Julumaniya
Lagos
al-Zawiya
Lisboa
al-Ushbuna (الأشبونة) raramente al-Lishbuna (لشبونة)
Loulé
al-'Ulyâ (ﺎ‎ﻴ‎ﻠ‎ﻌ‎ﻟ‎ﺍ‎)
Marachique
Marajiq
Marvão
Marwan (مروان), de Ibn Marwan
Massamá
al-Massamah (que está no alto; lugar onde se toma boa água)
Mértola
al-Martulah (مارتلة)
Messejana
al-Masjana (cárcere, prisão)
Monsanto
Munt Shiyun (do latim Mons Sanctus)
Moscavide
al-Masqba
Moura
al-Manijah ou al-Maura
Odeceixe
Odeleite
wadi-Lait
Odemira
al-Uadhra
Odiáxere
Odivelas
wadi-Bala'a
Olhão
al-Hain
Oriola
Uryūlâ (أريولة), Ūryūlâ (أوريولة)
Paderne
Bantar (ﺮ‎ﻄ‎ﻨ‎ﺑ‎)
Palmela
Balmallah (em nome de Allah, بسملة)
Portimão
Burj Munt (Monte da Torre)
Porto
Burtuqal (برتقال), ou mais raramente, Ūbūrtū (أوبورتو)
Queluz
Qâlluz (vale da amendoeira)
Ribeira de Alcalamouque
Sacavém
aš-Šaqaban (شقبان)
Sagres
Saqris
Santa Iria de Azóia
al-Zawiya (الزاوية) [al-Taytal]
Santarém
as-Shantariyn ou Santaryn (شنترين) ([cidade de] Santa Iria / Santa Irene)
São Brás de Alportel
Šanbras (ﺲ‎ﺮ‎ﺒ‎ﻨ‎ﺷ‎)
São Miguel de Alcainça
al-Kanisa (igreja)
Segura
Šaqūrâ (شقورة)
Serpa
Shirba
Silves
as-Shilb (شلب)
Sintra
as-Shantara
Tavira
at-Tabira
Terena
at-Talanna
Tunes
at-Tunis (تونس)
Vila Franca de Xira
as-Shirush
Regiões:
al-Gharb al-Andalus , o ocidente (garb) da Península Ibérica (andalus). Deu origem aos nomes do Algarve e Andaluzia.
Rios:
al-Uadi-Ana, Rio Anas (Uadi=Rio em Árabe): Odiana / Guadiana
al-Uadi-Taghr, Rio Tejo

قلمريّة Coimbra and Al'Manijah (Moura)

Al'Qulumriyya (Coimbra) - قلمريّة

In Coimbra, probably the 3rd City in Portugal in terms of importance and a tremendous centre for knowledge with ancient universities, there is an interesting monument the "Sé Velha de Coimbra" built in a romanic style in 1162.

This important portuguese romanic monument has an interesting arabic inscription close to one of its gates.

In the north wall of the building close to the Gate of Santa Clara it is still possible to see a marking arabic inscription probably written by one of the muslim masons.

It reads like this:

«I wrote (this) as a permanent record of my suffering; my hand will perish one day, but greatness will remain»

The quality of the photo is quite bad but I am endeavouring some efforts to get a better one, where is possible to read the arabic with clarity.

In Portuguese:
Templo Românico de 1162, considerado uma das mais belas peças do Românico Português. No muro norte, junto à Porta de Stª Clara, é ainda visível uma inscrição em árabe coeva do período construtivo da Sé. A inscrição é, a todos os títulos, marcante: "Escrevi isto como recordação permanente do meu sofrimento. A minha mão perecerá um dia, mas a grandeza ficará."

dá arrepios...Qalbi Arabi!

Al'Manijah (Moura)

From the lands of the South comes the Legend of Salúquia a moorish Princess (daughter of the Vizir Abu Hassan) who jumped from the high tower of the Castle of AL Manijah (nowadays Moura) after knowing that her lover was killed by the Christians while in the way for their marriage. With a broken heart and to avoid being caught by the Christians, Saluquia jumped from the Tower shocking the whole village and giving birth to a legend that still exists in the minds and hearts of the people of this land. The Coat of Arms of the Village of Moura (direct translation: Moorish lady) makes reference to this happening...

The Village still has a Moorish sector composed of 3 streets, a moorish well and one alley (Check picture) built in medina style. There is a small arabic/islamic museum worth visiting!

in the picture below is the tower of Saluquia from where the Princess Jumped almost 1000 years ago.

another important picture is the one of the Torre de Taipa, a military fortification built in arabic style and incorporated in the Castle of Moura

Morábitos de Portugal

Bismillah'Ir Rahman Ir Rahim

This is just a selection of some morábitos (marabut), small constructions normally used by Sufi shaykhs ad their muridins as retreats (khalwa) for spiritual development, later used and abused unfortunately by the Church as deposits of icons and little Chapels. Portugal seems quite rich in terms of these islamic constructions.
In my research Iºve came across Morábitos in Alvor, Évoramonte, Monsaraz, Ferreira do Alentejo, Montemor-o-Novo,Mértola, Cabo Espichel, Beliche, Miomães and Murfacém(Trafaria-Almada). It is a shame that so few still preserve elements of its original intent. Nevertheless a record of beauty...