Olivais (Portuguese pronunciation: [oliˈvajʃ]) is a freguesia (civil parish) and typical quarter of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal.

Located in eastern Lisbon, Olivais is west of Parque das Nações, north of Marvila and Alvalade, and east of Lumiar and Santa Clara.

It is worth noting that these lands, long before their inclusion in the Parish of Olivais, had previously comprised the outskirts of the city, situated beyond Chelas.

Furthermore, it is presumed that this land may have also been affiliated with the Parish of Sacavém, which was established in the 12th century, potentially encompassing the areas of Marcos, Encarnação, and Portela.

Notably, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, the lord of the reguengos of Sacavém, Unhos, Frielas, and Charneca, voiced his grievances to the monarch.

However, through a letter of sentence issued on the 13th of April in 1429, the wise king adeptly addressed the concerns of this distinguished military figure, reconciling their respective interests.

In his ruling, the monarch declared, "we judge that the said city exercises jurisdiction over the said places freely, unencumbered by the letters of donation presented by the said count, and without prejudice to him in this matter."

The story, preserved in tradition, that the patron saint's image was found within the hollow of an olive tree trunk, leading to the naming of the new jurisdiction as Nossa Senhora or Santa Maria dos Olivais, appears to be of a legendary nature.

"[9] These were the beginnings of an era when the parish, as noted by Gomes de Brito, was a "repository of youthful affections, pious beliefs, grateful and salutary memories" and, at the same time, a "sacred ground where fathers, brothers, sons, and wives slept beneath the gravestones," serving as a focal point for collective attraction and strong, enduring bonds.

[10] Indeed, countless hours, both solemn and joyful, were spent under the welcoming roof of the Virgin Mary, while a multitude of bodies found their resting place in the church and its courtyard, where weathered gravestones, especially in the main altar area, still bear the names of respectable figures from the jurisdiction.

However, in return, the central area occupied by the church experienced slow progress in contrast to the more rapid development of peripheral zones, especially those along the Tagus River on this side of Cabo Ruivo, which had been considered beautiful environs of Lisbon from the beginning.

It is believed that Nossa Senhora dos Olivais owes its existence to the requests of the local population, given the difficulty of attending religious services in the distant churches of Lisbon and Sacavém, which were heavily dependent on poor transportation, particularly during the winter.

This was the case with Charneca on November 6, 1511, where three brotherhoods served the parish under the names of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, das Almas, and do Santíssimo, with only the latter still in existence today.

Following the undeniable trend that progressive urban centers tend to absorb neighboring rural areas, the municipality began to decline toward the end of the 19th century.

Fragmented and gradually parceled into a scarcely profitable domain, the Parish of Olivais, until the end of the 19th century, represented an attractive enclave for the Lisbon aristocracy.

At that time, a substantial portion of the Olivais parish was commonly regarded as integrated into the capital, so intertwined were the extremities of both, and so enriched were the former by their lucrative association with the latter.

Officially established in 1770, this valuable jurisdiction was altered by the 1780 plan, which returned Rua Direita de Marvila to Olivais.

The Olivais Municipal Council convened for the last time in its official capacity at the Town Hall, now situated outside its boundaries at Largo do Leão, on December 30, 1886.

The council members included the following: President, Barão de Vale Formoso, Tomás António Barbosa Leitão; Vice-President, João Antunes Pomba; and Councillors, Manuel Rodrigues Azevedo, Olegário Luís António de Sousa, Joaquim Marques Ferreira, Fernando Silvestre Alves, and Francisco Pereira Pedroso.

On the 3rd of January, the same council convened an extraordinary meeting to address various matters, including urgent contracts, public lighting, municipal personnel, and the cleanliness of some parishes.

Additionally, on a temporary basis, the parishes of Camarate and Sacavém (intramuros) remained within the jurisdiction of Lisbon until 1895 when they permanently transitioned to the Loures municipality.

On September 26, 1895, a decree was approved that separated the extramural part of the Sítio dos Marcos from the Olivais Parish and joined it to the newly created Loures Municipality.

On the path to the cemetery chapel, the oldest burial plots were constructed, including that of the Viscountess of Olivais [pt], a philanthropist who financed and established a refuge for the most underprivileged children in the area.

As a result, the massive Olivais parish was reduced to the following boundaries: "Starting from the edge of the Tejo River near Cabo Ruivo, it follows northwest along the axis of Lisbon's Second Circular Road.

From here, it continues, skirting the airport, along the western side (along the edge of the lands reserved by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation for the expansion of runways) until it reaches the circumferential road that limits the city and the municipality of Lisbon.

In the 1960s, with the occupation of regional properties already in the possession of the Lisbon Municipal Council, the parish gained in terms of real estate and population what it had gradually lost in proportion, shedding its rustic characteristics and picturesque divisions that had been maintained for nearly 600 years.

The Cine-Teatro da Encarnação, an emblematic building found in Olivais, was inaugurated on April 7, 1968, by the then President of the Republic, Américo Tomás.

Located on Rua da Quinta de Santa Maria, it was, for years, the most emblematic cinema in the eastern part of the city.

[19] In 2002 the ancient posto sanitário da Encarnação was rebuilt and redesigned so as to host, since 2005, the national Bromatology laboratory, planned against biological warfare.

[42] Companies with head offices in Santa Maria dos Olivais and Portela Airport include TAP Portugal and CTT Correios de Portugal, S.A.[43][44] Local landmarks include: Amongst many cultural associations found in the parish, it is important to remember that the Portuguese Poets association has its headquarters in the parish of Olivais.