Statue of Catarina Eufémia

Category: Civil Architecture > Statue

District: Beja > Beja > Baleizão > Aldeia Velha

Location

The Statue of Catarina Eufémia stands in the tranquility of Aldeia Velha, an area of the town of Baleizão, integrated into the municipality of Beja. This peaceful place, deeply rooted in the Alentejo landscape, offers an environment conducive to reflection, integrated into the daily life of the community.

Finding this monument is an invitation to experience the authenticity of Baleizão, where the statue occupies a central space, serving as a point of reference and a living memory for residents and for those who visit this village in Baixo Alentejo.

Symbol of Resistance

The Statue of Catarina Eufémia is a tribute to a unique figure in Portuguese history. Catarina Eufémia, a rural worker from Baleizão, became a symbol of resistance and the fight for freedom. Her story is intrinsically linked to the living and working conditions in rural Alentejo during the period of the fascist regime.

Assassinated in 1954, in her hometown, Catarina Eufémia represented the courage of those who demanded better conditions. Her memory transcends the tragic event, inspiring poets and musicians, and remaining an icon of female emancipation and popular resistance in the country.

The Enduring Homage

Erected in 1976, the statue of Catarina Eufémia is a bust, set on a stone pedestal approximately two meters high. This work was erected on the initiative of the people of Baleizão, in a collective gesture of recognition and tribute to the woman who so profoundly marked local and national memory.

More than a monument, the statue constitutes a physical reminder of history, inviting contemplation on the past and on the values of justice and freedom that Catarina Eufémia personified. Its simplicity and dignity reflect the strength of the homage and the deep admiration that the people of Baleizão dedicated to this figure. It is an invitation to understand the legacy of a woman who, through her life and her death, became a historical reference.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt