Almeida, Portugal the current name was first used, in the form of the Arabic "al-Ma'ida" ('the plateau'). The village of Almeida was captured from the Moors by the second king of Portugal, Sancho I in the 12th century because of its strategic position on the new country of Portugal's border with Spain. So important to the security of the country, Sancho had the village heavily fortified. The castle was refortified on three further occasions by King Dinis, King Manuel I and by King João VI. The present 12 pointed star fortification was constructed in 1641 to a Vaubanesque plan on which the
Groundforce Portugal Groundforce Portugal Groundforce Portugal is a subsidiary company of TAP Portugal, offering aircraft ground handling services in Portugal. It was created with the privatization of the ground handling services of airline TAP Portugal in October 2005. In 1982 the DOT (Department of Land Operations) was the one who took care of handling in Portugal. Seven years later (in 1989), that entity underwent a process of organizational restructuring and has changed its name to General Directorate of Operations on Land (DGOT). In 1992, an expansion and provision of services to third strategy, TAP Handling emerged. In April 2003, due to the