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Leiria is a city in Portugal with a population of 50,200. The city is divided into 6 parishes, and the municipality as a whole has a population of 119,870 in 29 parishes. Leiria is located halfway between Lisbon and Porto. It is the seat of the district of Leiria.
Leiria has a long history, having been known to the Romans as Collipo. After being held by the Moors for some time, it was captured by King Afonso I in the 12th century. In 1254, King Afonso III held a cortes (parliament) in the city. In the 14th century, King Dinis restored the city's old castle, which was originally built in the 12th century, for use as a royal residence. The castle, located on a hill in the centre of Leiria, remains a prominent feature of the city today.
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly called EURO 2004 took place in several stadiums in Portugal , one of them "Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Stadium" situated down the hill of the castle.
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