Oliveira de Azeméis

Oliveira de Azeméis is a city and a municipality located in Porto Metropolitan Area in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 68,611, in an area of 161.10 km². The city itself has a population of about 20,000. Oliveira de Azeméis is part of Oporto Metropolitan Area and it is located 35 km to the south of Porto. It is less than 20 km far from the Atlantic Ocean. It has connection the following motorways: A1, A29 and A32; and the IC2 expressway. It is served by Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport/Oporto's airport.The municipality is integrated in Porto Metropolitan Area.The present Mayor is Hermínio Loureiro, elected by the Social Democratic Party.The municipal holiday is the Monday that follows the 2nd Sunday of August.In the centre there is a marian sanctuary of some importance, La-Salette. It was built in order to honor the apparitions of Virgin Mary in the small village of La Salette, Isère, in France. What is very striking about this sanctuary is that it contains the finger of a burglar that tried to steal some precious artifacts (one night a guard shot a burglar with his shotgun and only hit his finger). The finger lies inside an alcohol jar right in front of the chapel.FacilitiesLocal facilities include: Hospital de São Miguel Higher education schools Secondary schools Basic schools Regional museum Hotel Post Office Police station Clinic centres Tourism office Library - Biblioteca Municipal Ferreira de Castro