Viana do Castelo

Sister cities

• Lugo
• Portugal Cove–St. Philip's
• Aveiro
• Riom
• Lancaster
• Matola

History

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. 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 1455, a cathedral was inaugurated in Viana do Castelo. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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…

Most-observed species

• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,618
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  4,236
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  3,238
• European Greenfinch

  Chloris chloris (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,121
• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,892
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,875
• Yellow-legged Gull

  Larus michahellis J.F.Naumann, 1840 · Aves
  2,838
• European Serin

  Serinus serinus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,680

Most recent

• M 3.3 — 2015-05-02
  1 km WSW of Arcos, Portugal
• M 3.1 — 2010-10-24
  7 km NE of Redondela, Spain
• M 2.5 — 2008-11-21
  6 km ESE of Ponteareas, Spain
• M 2.6 — 2008-03-26
  4 km NW of Portonovo, Spain
• M 3.9 — 2008-02-01
  89 km W of Baiona, Spain
• M 2.8 — 2007-09-03
  27 km WSW of Portonovo, Spain