Viana do Castelo

Viana do Castelo
Municipality

The port of Viana do Castelo

Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 41°42′N 8°50′W / 41.700°N 8.833°W / 41.700; -8.833Coordinates: 41°42′N 8°50′W / 41.700°N 8.833°W / 41.700; -8.833
Country  Portugal
Region Norte
Subregion Minho-Lima
Intermunic. comm. Alto Minho
District Viana do Castelo
Government
 • President José Maria Costa (PS)
Area
 • Total 319.02 km2 (123.17 sq mi)
Elevation 12 m (39 ft)
Highest elevation 825 m (2,707 ft)
Lowest elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 88,725
 • Density 280/km2 (720/sq mi)
Time zone WET/WEST (UTC+0/+1)
Postal code 4904
Area code 258
Patron Nossa Senhora da Agonia
Website http://www.cm-viana-castelo.pt

Viana do Castelo (Portuguese pronunciation: [viˈɐnɐ ðu kɐʃˈtɛlu]) is a municipality and seat of the district of Viana do Castelo in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 88,725,[1] in an area of 319.02 km².[2] The urbanized area of the municipality, comprising the city, has a population of approximately 36,148 inhabitants.

History

Human settlement in the region of Viana began during the Mesolithic era, from discoveries and archaeological excavations. Even around the Roman occupation the area was settled along the Mount of Santa Luzia.

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.

In the 16th century, its port gained great importance as one of the entry-points for Portuguese explorers and traders, involved in the Portuguese discoveries. Many of the historical buildings originated during this period.

The prosperity that continued developed from the town's role as a port, protected by defensive structures (such as the Tower of Roqueta) to repel pirates from Galicia and north Africa. The port's ties to northern Europe came primarily from exports of wine, fruits and salt, and imports of tile, textiles and glass.

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.

During the dictatorial regime, Viana do Castelo was one of the most important ports of the Portuguese cod fisheries.[3]

Geography

Population of
Viana do Castelo
(1801 - 2011)
YearPop.±%
1801 17,889—    
1849 36,084+101.7%
1900 47,311+31.1%
1930 53,380+12.8%
1960 75,320+41.1%
1981 81,009+7.6%
1991 83,095+2.6%
2001 88,631+6.7%
2011 88,725+0.1%

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 27 civil parishes (freguesias):[4]

  • 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

Climate

Climate data for Viana do Castelo
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 24.0
(75.2)		 25.0
(77)		 30.5
(86.9)		 31.6
(88.9)		 35.6
(96.1)		 38.6
(101.5)		 38.0
(100.4)		 39.5
(103.1)		 36.4
(97.5)		 32.6
(90.7)		 26.2
(79.2)		 24.6
(76.3)		 39.5
(103.1)
Average high °C (°F) 14.6
(58.3)		 15.5
(59.9)		 17.9
(64.2)		 18.5
(65.3)		 20.7
(69.3)		 24.5
(76.1)		 26.3
(79.3)		 26.4
(79.5)		 24.8
(76.6)		 20.9
(69.6)		 17.4
(63.3)		 15.2
(59.4)		 20.23
(68.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.8
(49.6)		 10.5
(50.9)		 12.7
(54.9)		 13.7
(56.7)		 15.9
(60.6)		 19.2
(66.6)		 20.8
(69.4)		 20.8
(69.4)		 19.2
(66.6)		 16.1
(61)		 12.8
(55)		 10.8
(51.4)		 15.19
(59.34)
Average low °C (°F) 4.9
(40.8)		 5.5
(41.9)		 7.4
(45.3)		 8.8
(47.8)		 11.1
(52)		 13.9
(57)		 15.3
(59.5)		 15.1
(59.2)		 13.7
(56.7)		 11.2
(52.2)		 8.1
(46.6)		 6.4
(43.5)		 10.12
(50.21)
Record low °C (°F) −3.9
(25)		 −2.8
(27)		 −3.7
(25.3)		 −0.4
(31.3)		 0.8
(33.4)		 5.5
(41.9)		 9.0
(48.2)		 8.0
(46.4)		 7.0
(44.6)		 2.4
(36.3)		 −1.2
(29.8)		 −5.1
(22.8)		 −5.1
(22.8)
Source: [5]

Economy

The city has a seaport with naval repairing facilities; its major industries are related to naval construction and repair, with the Estaleiros da Viana do Castelo remaining one of the few large shipyards still in operation.

Architecture

Library of Viana do Castelo

Civic

Military

Religious

Culture

Panoramic view of Viana do Castelo, Portugal

In 2010, Viana do Castelo started to implement a project of rehabilitation of the city called Viana Criativa [6] which is based on an investigation made by Paulo Caldeira among 4 years. Such project has the main purpose to attract more residents to a city where, during the last 500 years, many people around the world arrived to trade. Once upon a time, Viana was the second center of commerce of Portugal and some investigators are now recognising that fado music was born based on the typical songs of Minho region.

International relations

Viana do Castelo is twinned with:

References

  1. ↑ Instituto Nacional de Estatística
  2. ↑ Direção-Geral do Território
  3. ↑ SILVA, A. J. M. (2015), The fable of the cod and the promised sea. About portuguese traditions of bacalhau, in BARATA, F. T- and ROCHA, J. M. (eds.), Heritages and Memories from the Sea, Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the UNESCO Chair in Intangible Heritage and Traditional Know-How: Linking Heritage, 14–16 January 2015. University of Evora, Évora, pp. 130-143. PDF version
  4. ↑ Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, pages 552 127-128" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "Climate Normals - Viana do Castelo 1981-2010". Portuguese Institute of Meteorology. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  6. ↑ A PROJECT TO CHANGE A CITY
  7. ↑ "National Commission for Decentralised cooperation". Délégation pour l’Action Extérieure des Collectivités Territoriales (Ministère des Affaires étrangères) (in French). Retrieved 2013-12-26.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.