Caldas da Rainha

Caldas da Rainha is a city in Portugal. The city serves as the seat of the larger municipality of the same name and is the seat of the Oeste Comunidade Intermunicipal (West Intermunicipal Community).
The city is best known for its hot springs and pottery.
The city was founded in the 15th century by Queen Leonor, who established a hospital at the site of some therapeutic hot springs.
The Hospital Termal Rainha D. Leonor is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in world, with five centuries of history.
The city's name means "Queen's Hot Springs" or "Queen's Spa".
Caldas da Rainha is home to many arts-related institutions. There are numerous museums in the city, mostly related to ceramics and sculpture. The city is home to a major arts and design school, as well as a school of ceramics. In 2008, the municipal government inaugurated a new cultural center.
The city proper has a population of 25,316, ranking 40th in population among Portuguese cities. The entire municipality has 48,846 residents as of the 2001 census. Figures for 2007 place the number of residents at 52,587.