Caldas da Rainha>Parishes>Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina
For almost 500 years the seat of its own municipality, Santa Catarina is known for its cutlery, its 1892 band and an Iron Age hillfort.
Photo: GoCaldas
About Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina is a parish of Caldas da Rainha with around 3,000 inhabitants. It was the seat of its own municipality for almost 500 years, between the 14th and 19th centuries.
A rural area, Santa Catarina is also known for its cutlery industry and for its philharmonic band, founded in 1892.
What to see
Parish church
A 16th-century Manueline church with two naves, a chancel and a sacristy.
Fountain
The village fountain, long a centre of community life.
Manor house
An 18th-century manor with a fine façade, a chapel and painted canvases on its walls.
Castro de Santa Catarina
This hillfort at Cabeço do Castelo may date from the Iron Age. Finds from much earlier, such as flint blades, and from the early Roman period, such as amphorae, point to a very long settlement.
Pillory
Where justice was once carried out. It stands on three octagonal steps, with a nearly cylindrical shaft and a crown-shaped top with four iron spikes.
Good to know
Getting there
Caldas da Rainha is about an hour from Lisbon on the A8 motorway. The easiest way to explore the parishes is by car.
Parking
Parking is usually easy in the villages. In the city centre, use the car parks around the centre and walk.
Where to eat
You will find traditional restaurants across the municipality, and plenty more in the centre of Caldas da Rainha.
Frequently asked questions
Was Santa Catarina a municipality?
Yes. It was the seat of its own municipality for almost 500 years, between the 14th and 19th centuries.
What is Santa Catarina known for?
Its cutlery industry and its philharmonic band, founded in 1892.
What heritage can I see?
The 16th-century Manueline church, the 18th-century manor house, the pillory and the hillfort at Cabeço do Castelo.
