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There are settlement remnants in this territory going back to Prehistory, more specifically to the Neolithic period, between 5,000 and 2,000 BC.

The Romans also left their mark. The Roman bridge of “Murcella” was one of the most important routes that connected Coimbra to Bobadela, near Oliveira do Hospital.

Albergaria de Poiares

The Albergarias were places where travellers and pilgrims gathered to find some rest and comfort. The Albergaria de Poiares is a proof to the importance of these routes, providing support to pilgrims and travellers in the Beiras region.

Terras de Poyares

In 1590 the centre of the Terras de Poyares was in Arrifana. It was also in the first centuries during the forming of the Portuguese nation that the monicker “Terras de Poiares” - “Vimieira alongside Poiares” came up.    

The Municipality of Poiares was created in the reign of D. Maria II, the result of reforms of administrative reorganization carried out by the Setembrist Government ideologically guided by Passos Manuel and promulgated in 1836.

The municipality was at first called “Santo André de Poyares”.

Originally, its borders were limited to the south by the Ceira river, it included the parish of Friúmes, today in the municipality of Penacova, the parish of Semide on the right bank of the river Ceira, today in the municipality of Miranda do Corvo and part of the parish of Serpins, which is today in the municipality of Lousã. In 1855, during the reign of D. Pedro V, due to external pressure to the administrative authorities of the municipality, Poiares was “mutilated” and these territories became part of its bordering municipalities.                                     

In the middle of the 19^th century, the most emblematic building in the municipality was the Town Hall, a symbol of independence and local authority. The building was profoundly altered in the 1950s.

Santo André de Poyares was elevated to the category of Vila in 1905 by King D. Carlos receiving its municipal coat of arms in 1938.