History: The City of Faro II

When Arabs took control of this region of Algarve, the city of Ossónoba was renamed as “Santa Maria” and it was a good example of tolerance and mutual knowledge shared by Arabs and Christians. The contact between this region and North África devoloped. From the Arabs Faro got, amongst many other things, the two principle doors of the Arab city of Santa Maria.
In 1249 Faro was reconquered from the Arabs, altough they kept a community here, the city returned to our control. The city then grew to the area of São Pedro´s Church, outside of the city walls.
The beginning village known as Faro, the old Ossonoba, is dated of Séc. IV a.C. The archeological findings in Largo da Sé, like fish pots and coins, assure that by this time there was commercial contact outside this region and with North Africa, at least, in the second half of centuries IV a.C and III a.C.

Reference: http://www.cm-faro.pt
Translated by me.