Cantanhede, Portugal

Cantanhede is a city and municipality in the Coimbra District, in the Centro Region, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 36,595, in an area of 390.88 km².LocationCantanhede is located in the Coimbra District, in the Baixo Mondego subregion of the Centro Region, halfway between the cities of Coimbra and Aveiro, in Portugal. This small town is located just 25 km from the very popular beaches of Mira and Tocha on the Atlantic coast.HistoryThe name "Cantanhede" comes from the Celtic cant, which means "great stone", and refers to the quarries in the region. It was the original Cantonieti, mentioned in the documentation of the centuries 11th, 12th and 13th also with the spellings Cantoniedi, Cantonidi and Cantonetu. Its first historical references dating back to 1087, date on which Sisnando Davides, governor of Coimbra, provided the village with fortification and promoted its repopulation. With a well-preserved urban area elevated to city (cidade) status by the Lei n.º 69/91, de 16 de Agosto in August 1991, and being home to a number of large and elegant houses, dating back to the 19th century, Cantanhede was granted foral in 1514 by the king Manuel I of Portugal.