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Viana do Castelo

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{{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Portuguese subdivision

Viana do Castelo ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}) is a municipality and seat of the district of Viana do Castelo in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2021 was 85,778,<ref name="ine">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in an area of Template:Convert.<ref name=dgt>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The urbanized area of the municipality, comprising the city, has a population of approximately 36,148 inhabitants, although the extended densely populated region reaches surrounding municipalities like Caminha and Ponte de Lima with a population above 150,000 inhabitants. It is located at the mouth of the Lima river, on the Portuguese Way path, an alternative path of the Camino de Santiago.

HistoryEdit

Human settlement in the region of Viana began during the Mesolithic era, from discoveries and archaeological excavations. Settlements in the Mount of Santa Luzia date back to the Iron age, extending into the Roman occupation the area.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The settlement of Viana da Foz do Lima, which it was called when King Afonso III of Portugal issued a foral (charter) on 18 July 1258, was a formalization of the 1253 Viana that the area was named.<ref name=":1" />

The port in Viana do Castelo played an important role in the city's development. In the 15th century, it was on the trade routes between the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic, when textiles, fruits, wood and iron were headed south while salt and agricultural products were northbound.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite journal</ref> In 1455, a cathedral was inaugurated in Viana do Castelo.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the later part of the century, the city became an important supplier of textiles to the newly established colonies in Madeira and the Azores.<ref name=":2" />

However, the port's importance grew substantially from the 16th century, during the age of discoveries, when the sugar trade from Brazil emerges in Viana. Merchants from Northern Europe establish themselves in the city, trading in sugar and selling bread from the Baltic. In parallel, the fishing industry developed, due to cod fishing off the coast of Newfoundland and Greenland, an important foodstuff for cross Atlantic voyages.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During this period of prosperity, a number of religious institutions installed themselves in the city and a via sacra (sacred way) was created, through the city's northern edge.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">Template:Cite journal</ref> In 1576, a Dominican convent and church is inaugurated to São Domingos (St. Dominic), designed by monk Julião Romero. In 1612, a Franciscan convent to St. Anthony was founded to the north of the city by the Order of Friars Minor.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The parish of Nossa Senhora de Monserrate (Our Lady of Monserrat) was founded in 1621 next to the old barracks named Batalhão de Caçadores 9.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1627 a decision was taken to establish a monastery of the Order of Saint Augustine to St. Theotonius. The monastery was inaugurated in 1630, but construction work continued for several years.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref> In 1678, a chapel was built to the Holy Sepulchre, which by 1744 had originated a Marian devotion to Nossa Senhora da Agonia (Our Lady of Agony), a large worship figure in Viana, especially among fishermen.<ref name=":3" />

Viana do Castelo had coastal defenses on its western side, at the mouth of the river since the reign of Alfonso III in the 13th century. During the 15th century, these would be upgraded, including Torre da Roqueta (tower of Roqueta), to protect from pirates. In the 16th century, defenses were again boosted, to protect the prosperous city, with the start of the construction of Fort Santiago da Barra.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After the maritime discoveries and trade, the commercial life of Viana reached its greatest proportions during the reign of Queen Maria II of Portugal, when the monarch established the Associação Comercial de Viana do Castelo in 1852 (the fourth oldest public company of its type). The queen, in order to reward the loyalty of its citizens, who did not surrender to the Count of Antas, elevated the town to the status of city on 20 January 1848, renaming the settlement with its current name.

In 1878, the railway line Linha do Minho reached Viana do Castelo connecting it to Porto to the south. The railway crossed the Lima river on a new railway bridge, Ponte Eiffel, designed by Gustave Eiffel. In 1882, the line was completed, reaching the border with Spain to the north and Viana's railway station was completed. During the construction process, the monastery of the Order of Saint Augustine was demolished to make way for the project and much of its stonework was repurposed for viaducts and the station building.<ref name=":0" />

In 1884, the veneration of Santa Luzia (St. Lucy) strengthened after a cavalry commander Luis de Andrade e Sousa founded the Confraternity of Santa Luzia. It was founded after his poor eyesight improved following two years visiting a chapel atop the mountain of Santa Luzia. The confraternity improved the state of the chapel and its accessibility.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1904, construction started on the Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, commonly referred to as the church or sanctuary of Santa Luzia, on top of the mountain of Santa Luzia. Construction on its exterior ended in 1943, but works continue on its interior until 1959. The cult in Viana do Castelo dates back to 1743, but it grew in popularity during a pandemic in 1918. In 1926, the chapel of Santa Luzia would be demolished and its image transferred to the sanctuary.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During the Estado Novo dictatorship, a shipbuilding industry was established in the city's port. On June 4, 1944, the Estaleiros Nacionais de Viana do Castelo (ENVC) were founded as part of a government program to modernize the country's fishing fleet. The shipyard was initially focused on constructing long-distance fishing vessels, such as those for cod fishing, but diversified its portfolio throughout the 20th century. The shipyard ran into financial difficulties in the 2000s, leading to a bankruptcy and restructuring in 2013.<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

GeographyEdit

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Administratively, the municipality is divided into 27 civil parishes (freguesias):<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col

  • Afife
  • Alvarães
  • Amonde
  • Anha
  • Areosa
  • Barroselas e Carvoeiro
  • Cardielos e Serreleis
  • Carreço
  • Castelo do Neiva
  • Chafé
  • Darque
  • Freixieiro de Soutelo
  • Geraz do Lima (Santa Maria, Santa Leocádia e Moreira) e Deão
  • Lanheses
  • Mazarefes e Vila Fria
  • Montaria
  • Mujães
  • Nogueira, Meixedo e Vilar de Murteda
  • Outeiro
  • Perre
  • Santa Marta de Portuzelo
  • São Romão de Neiva
  • Subportela, Deocriste e Portela Susã
  • Torre e Vila Mou
  • Viana do Castelo (Santa Maria Maior e Monserrate) e Meadela
  • Vila de Punhe
  • Vila Franca

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ClimateEdit

Viana do Castelo has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb; Thornthwaite: ArB'2a')<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with substantial oceanic influences characterized by warm, relatively dry summers and mild, rainy winters. It is also one of the rainiest cities in Continental Portugal.

Temperatures above 30 °C are relatively rare during summertime, happening on about 20 days per year on average; while in the cold months there are on average 29 days with frost.<ref name=IPMA />

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EconomyEdit

File:ENVC 2004-05-16.jpg
Shipyard in Viana do Castelo

Home to a modern service based economy, the city, along with its region, has a seaport with naval repairing facilities. Industry is a cornerstone of Viana do Castelo's economy, benefiting from its strategic location along Atlantic trade routes and investments in industrial parks. Key sectors include shipbuilding, forestry, metal products, machinery, and seafood processing.<ref name=":5">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The municipality hosts one of Portugal's shipyards, the West Sea Shipyard (formerly Estaleiros Navais de Viana do Castelo), although the shipbuilding industry has faced challenges, including bankruptcy and restructuring in 2013.<ref name=":4" />

In the forestry sector, Viana do Castelo ranks among the top five exporters in the Norte region, driven by its robust pulp and paper industry, which generated €249 million in exports in 2020.<ref name=":5" /> The machinery industry is also expanding, highlighted by BorgWarner's €90 million investment in 2023 to establish a factory for producing electric motors and components for hybrid and electric vehicles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additionally, Viana do Castelo plays a prominent role in high-technology exports, contributing 10.1% of the North Region's exports in this category.<ref name=":5" />

Renewable energy has also become a key driver of the local economy. The WindFloat Atlantic offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Viana do Castelo, has been operational since 2020. With three floating turbines, it has consistently supplied electricity to over 25,000 homes annually, avoiding over 33,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. As of 2024, it supported 1,500 direct and indirect jobs throughout its development, construction, and operation phases.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ArchitectureEdit

File:Viana do Castelo - Praça da República.jpg
Republic Square: historical centre of Viana do Castelo
File:Santa Lucia - panoramio.jpg
Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
File:Viana do Castelo-Sé-20140911.jpg
Cathedral of Viana do Castelo

CivicEdit

Since the early 1990s the city started a wide urban renewal plan, pioneering the "Polis program", and including enlarging the pedestrian areas, building new modern architecture and creating new public spaces and parks. Architects such as Siza Vieira, Eduardo Souto de Moura and Fernando Távora have participated in the construction of a modern, well preserved and lively city center.

  • Geraz do Lima carriage museum
  • Renaissance fountain (1535) in the Major Square
  • Palacio de Tavoras, a noble residence from the 16th and 17th centuries
  • Municipal Museum, housed in an 18th-century building and home to
  • Paços do Conselho ("Palace of the Council", 1502), of which only the façade remains today

ReligiousEdit

  • Church of São Domingos (1576)
  • Chapel of the Holy Family (Template:Langx)
  • Chapel of Our Lady of the Agony (Template:Langx), church in Roccoco style
  • Cathedral of Viana do Castelo (Template:Langx), the 15th-century parochial church and cathedral, was constructed in the Romanesque style, comprising a façade flanked by two large towers with merlons, while the middle Gothic portal with archivolts is decorated by sculptures depicting the Passion of Christ and of the Apostles. The interior designed in the form of the Latin cross, includes a nave and two aisles (separated by arches supported by pillars), as well as two ancillary chapels dedicated to São Bernardo and the Holy Sacrament, both attributed to João Lopes "the Elder".
  • Church of Mercy of Viana do Castelo (Template:Langx), designed in the Flemish-style. The building dates back to 1589.
  • Sanctuary of Saint Lucy (Template:Langx), designed by Miguel Ventura Terra and dedicated to the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saint Lucy of Syracuse.

CultureEdit

File:Romaria da Senhora d'Agonia - Viana do Castelo.jpg
A procession of Our Lady of Agony (Senhora d'Agonia)

The Festa de Nossa Senhora d'Agonia (Festivity of Our Lady of Agony), is held in Viana do Castelo and it is one of Portugal's largest and oldest religious festivals. The event spans several days and includes a wide variety of activities, both religious and secular. These range from processions and ethnographic parades to performances featuring music, traditional dances, and large figures such as "cabeçudos" and "gigantones". Other attractions include a craft fair, fireworks displays, and musical concerts. The festivity has become an important cultural and economic event, stimulating tourism and local commerce.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Since 1985 the Teatro Sá de Miranda has been owned by the municipality, which has restored it to its former glory as one of the leading theatres in the provinces of Portugal.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="TMSM">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Viana do Castelo has the headquarters of Portugal's second oldest newspaper, A Aurora do Lima.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Viana do Castelo is renowned for its traditional pastries, such as the sidónio and the Torta de Viana. The sidónio, an almond-flavored pastry shaped like a coffin, is closely associated with the city's oldest bakery, Pastelaria Brasileira. Its name and design pay homage to Sidónio Pais, a prominent Portuguese statesman. The Torta de Viana, also known as Torta Real, is a sweet with origins dating back to 1505, linked to the Convent of Santa Ana in Viana do Castelo. It was historically reserved for special occasions and is recognized today as an iconic symbol of the city’s gastronomy. It was certified in 2021 to ensure adherence to its original recipe.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

SportEdit

SC Vianense is the local football club. Founded in 1898, it is one of the oldest clubs in Portugal. They play their home matches at the 3000 capacity Estádio do Dr. José de Matos.

Notable peopleEdit

File:Óscar de Lemos no filme "A Menina da Rádio" (1944).jpg
Óscar de Lemos, 1944

SportEdit

File:Tiago Mendes - 01.jpg
Tiago Mendes, 2013

International relationsEdit

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Viana do Castelo is twinned with:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col

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GalleryEdit

  • Viana do Castelo (10638219126).jpg

    Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

  • Viana do Castelo (10637953793).jpg

    City view from the top of the sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

  • Viana do Castelo (10638203985).jpg

    Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

  • Viana do Castelo - Portugal 01.JPG

    Monument to the 25th of April

  • Viana do Castelo (6103772777).jpg

    Viana do Castelo, Portugal

  • VianaPT HPIM8295 (2961412680).jpg

    Viana do Castelo, Portugal

  • VianaPT HPIM8299 (2961414324).jpg

    Viana do Castelo, Portugal

  • VianaPT HPIM8376 (2961439444).jpg

    Viana do Castelo, Portugal

  • Viana do Castelo at night (5708533558).jpg

    Viana do Castelo, Portugal

  • VianaPT HPIM8318 (2961420770).jpg

    Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War)

  • Viana do Castelo 4.JPG

    Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War)

  • Monte de Santa Luzia basilica from Viana do Castela (5707961821).jpg

    Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War)

  • Viana do Castelo - panoramio (43).jpg

    Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War)

  • Viana do Castelo - panoramio (27).jpg

    Viana do Castelo, Portugal

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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Template:Municipalities of Viana do Castelo

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