Vila Real, Portugal
Encyclopedia
Vila Real is a city in Vila Real Municipality, Trás-os-Montes, northern Portugal.
According to the 2001 census, the city had a total of 24,481 inhabitants.
founded in 1986.
and Chaves closed down in 1990. The remaining line closed down for renovations in 2009.
with: Osnabrück
(Germany
) Ourense
(Spain
) Grasse
(France
) Mende
(France
) Espinho (Portugal
) Oeiras (Portugal
) Portimão
(Portugal
)
According to the 2001 census, the city had a total of 24,481 inhabitants.
History
The region shows traces of being inhabited since the paleolithic. Later settlements, like Panóias, show roman presence. However with the barbaric and islamic invasions there's a decline of population.Main sights
- Capela da Misericórdia
- Capela de São Brás e o túmulo de Teixeira de Macedo
- Capela do Espírito Santo ou Capela do Bom Jesus do Hospital
- Diogo Cão's house
- Carvalho Araújo's house,
- Brocas' house
- Marqueses's house de Vila Real
- São Domingos' church
- St. Peter's church
- Bom Jesus do Calvário church
- Clérigos's church or "Capela Nova"
- Pelourinho de Vila Real
Museums
- Archaeology and Numismatic Museum
- Geology Museum at the Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
- Ethnographic Museum
- Sound and Image Museum, at the Vila Real's Theatre
- Vila Velha Museum
Outside the city centre
- Alvão Natural Park
- Mateus' Palace
- Quintela's tower
- Mamoas de Justes
- Mão do Homem, in Adoufe
- Necrópole de S. Miguel da Pena
- Santuário de Panóias, in Vale de Nogueiras
Education, science and technology
The city is the headquarters and main campus for the Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), a public universityPublic university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
founded in 1986.
Roads
Vila Real is served by:- A24 a toll-free motorway which crosses north-south, connecting to Chaves and SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in the north, and ViseuViseuViseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
and A25, in the south - IP4, which crosses East-West, connecting to Bragança and PortoPortoPorto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
. Presently is being converted into a motorway (A4), with a 6 Km tunnel under the Marão mountain.
Railway
Vila Real has a train station, which was part of the Corgo line, a narrow gauge line which linked Chaves and Regua. The line between Vila RealVila Real
- Coat of Arms :The coat of arms of Vila Real - a sword embedded in a wreath of zambujeiro and the slogan Aleu - is derived from the decorative motif of the tomb of Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila Real, found in the Igreja da Graça in Santarém. 'Aleu' or 'aleo' is an old Portuguese term for a...
and Chaves closed down in 1990. The remaining line closed down for renovations in 2009.
Air transport
Vila Real's Airfield, located in Vila Nova de Cima, approximately 4 Km from the city center, has regular flights connecting to Bragança and Lisboa.Sports
Sport Club Vila Real is a football club that was founded in 1920. Presently, plays in the national III division.Famous citizens
- Dr. Emídio Roque da Silveira
- Alves Correia
- António Claro
- Augusto César
- Luísa Dacosta
- António Cabral
- Carvalho AraújoCarvalho AraújoJosé Botelho de Carvalho Araújo was a Portuguese Navy officer and colonial administrator.-Life:Son of José de Carvalho Araújo Júnior and Margarida Ferreira Botelho de Araújo, he was born in the northern city of Porto at the parish of São Nicolau, while his fathers were visiting the city...
(1881–1918) - Diogo CãoDiogo CãoDiogo Cão was a Portuguese explorer and one of the most remarkable navigators of the Age of Discovery, who made two voyages sailing along the west coast of Africa to Namibia in the 1480s.-Early life and family:...
- Alves Roçadas (1865–1926)
- Monsenhor Jerónimo Amaral (1859–1944)
- Almeida Lucena (1836–1874)
- Aureliano de Almeida Barrigas (1890–1948)
- Monsenhor Ângelo Minhava
- Simão SabrosaSimão SabrosaSimão Pedro Fonseca Sabrosa, OIH , commonly known as Simão , is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Beşiktaş J.K. in Turkey, mainly as a left winger - he can also play as a forward - with dribbling and set piece skills as primary attributes.Having played in his country for two of the three...
(1979-) - Miguel TorgaMiguel TorgaMiguel Torga, pseudonym of Adolfo Correia da Rocha is considered one of the greatest Portuguese writers of the 20th century...
- Pedro Passos CoelhoPedro Passos CoelhoPedro Manuel Mamede Passos Coelho , is Prime Minister of Portugal. Passos Coelho started very early in politics, becoming the national leader of the youth branch of the Social Democratic Party...
Twin towns — Sister cities
Vila Real is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) Ourense
Ourense
Ourense is a city in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of the same name in Galicia. Its population of 108,674 accounts for 30% of the population of the province and makes it the third largest city of Galicia.-Population:...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) Grasse
Grasse
-See also:*Route Napoléon*Ancient Diocese of Grasse*Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department-External links:*...
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) Mende
Mende
Mende may refer to the African ethnic group and its language, various individuals and places.Ethnic group* Mende people* Mende language* Mende syllabary People:...
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) Espinho (Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
) Oeiras (Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
) Portimão
Portimão
Portimão is a Portuguese town located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve, the southern coast of Portugal. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão . In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. The town has 41,000 inhabitants and the Portimão...
(Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
)