History of Albufeira

Although the origins of Albufeira remain uncertain, everything suggests that the region was already inhabited in prehistoric times and that the site where the city now stands may have been, several centuries before our era, an important settlement with its own seaport.

The original settlement was occupied by the Romans, who named it Baltum. During this period, a centralized administrative system was introduced, fostering the development of agricultural and commercial activities. Aqueducts, roads, bridges and other infrastructures were built, some traces of which have survived to this day.

The name Albufeira derives from the Arabic term Al-Buhera, meaning "castle of the sea". It is believed that this designation refers to the town's proximity to the ocean and/or to the lagoon that once formed in its lower area. During the Islamic period, strong defensive fortifications were constructed, making the settlement almost impregnable, one of the reasons why Albufeira was among the strongholds that remained under Arab control for the longest time. This era was also marked by significant agricultural development, with the introduction of new techniques and crops. Previously uncultivated land was transformed into orchards and vegetable gardens through the construction of dams and irrigation channels.

By the time King Afonso III ascended the throne, part of the Algarve had already been reconquered by Christian forces. However, it was only in the mid-13th century that Albufeira fell into Portuguese hands, after which it was immediately granted to the Order of Avis.

Later, during the reign of King Manuel I, Albufeira experienced a decisive phase of development that shaped many aspects of local life, including land ownership, taxation and obligations to the Crown. The Manueline Charter (Foral) was granted to Albufeira on 20 August 1504, a date that is now celebrated as the Municipality Day.

In 1755, the great earthquake that struck much of Portugal caused severe destruction in the town. The sea invaded the settlement with waves reaching up to ten metres in height, destroying almost all buildings.

Decades later, in 1833, Albufeira once again became the scene of conflict. During the civil war between absolutists and liberals, the town was besieged and attacked by the forces of "Remexido", a popular absolutist leader who caused significant damage and ordered the execution of a large number of inhabitants.

From the mid-19th century onwards, Albufeira experienced notable economic growth, largely based on fishing. Until the first decades of the following century, there was a sharp increase in the export of fish as well as dried fruits. At the time, the town had five factories employing between 700 and 800 people, most of them fishermen's wives.

Between the 1930s and the 1960s, a period marked by international instability and the outbreak of a conflict that would forever change Europe, Albufeira entered a phase of deep decline. Fishing vessels and gear disappeared, factories closed and houses were abandoned. The population fell to around half its former size, and fishing once again became a subsistence activity.

In the early 1960s, the first steps were taken towards the expansion of tourism. Initially, many Portuguese tourists began visiting the municipality, but it was the opening to the British market that truly drove the sector's growth.

During the 1980s, Albufeira underwent a major urban expansion, with the town spreading eastwards, where most administrative services, including the Town Hall, were relocated.