Vidros da Marinha Grande

Already in the century. XV, a furnace for repairing the stained glass windows of the Batalha Monastery would have been installed in Marinha Grande.

Glass was obtained through the incineration of natural products with sodium carbonate.

It was already in the year 1748 that the Irish Beare transferred the factory that it explored in Coina to Marinha Grande as a consequence of the lack of fuel, coming to benefit from the proximity of Pinhal de Leiria.

The abundance of raw materials and fuel will provide the growth of the glass industry in the region.

However, it was only in 1769 that the Englishman Guilherme Stephens, with the charter of King João V and benefiting from all the support of the Marquis of Pombal, revived the factory, giving it a new impetus and prestige, applying the technique of blown manual glass , who gave the title to Marinha Grande of the Capital of Glass.

The first factory of glass production - the Royal Glass Factory of Marinha Grande - was created in the year 1769 by the Marquis of Pombal in favor of Guilherme Stephens.