Ílhavo () is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

located in the centre of Portugal. The population in 2021 was 39,239,Instituto Nacional de Estatística
/ref> in an area of 73.48 km².Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país
/ref> The Municipality of Ílhavo includes four parishes and two cities:

Gafanha da Nazaré Gafanha da Nazaré () is a city and parish (''freguesia'') in the Ílhavo Municipality, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 15,240, Several stories have been gathered as part of the popular history of this city: Traditionally, the local women — ''As ilhavenses'' — are famous for their great beauty. It is claimed the city was founded by

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

colonists around 400 BC to whom the beauty of "ilhavenses" women is attributed, but others state that the

Phoenicia Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...

n settlers are the ones responsible for that. Ílhavo's nickname is "the city of the lamp" (''a cidade da lâmpada''). According to legend, one Sunday during Mass, one of the most important relics of the church (an oil lamp) was stolen in front of everybody and was never found. The myth continued given Ílhavo that nickname.

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into four civil parishes (''

freguesias ''Freguesia'' (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Port ...

''): *

Gafanha da Encarnação Gafanha da Encarnação is a village and a civil parish of the municipality of Ílhavo Ílhavo () is a municipality located in the centre of Portugal. The population in 2021 was 39,239, in an area of 73.48 km². The Municipality of Ílhavo i ...

Gafanha da Nazaré Gafanha da Nazaré () is a city and parish (''freguesia'') in the Ílhavo Municipality, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 15,240,Gafanha do Carmo Gafanha do Carmo is a village and a civil parish of the municipality of Ílhavo Ílhavo () is a municipality located in the centre of Portugal. The population in 2021 was 39,239, in an area of 73.48 km². The Municipality of Ílhavo includes ...

* Ílhavo (São Salvador)

Cities and towns

There are two

cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

in the municipality. *

Gafanha da Nazaré Gafanha da Nazaré () is a city and parish (''freguesia'') in the Ílhavo Municipality, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 15,240,Easter Monday Easter Monday refers to the day after Easter Sunday in either the Eastern or Western Christian traditions. It is a public holiday in some countries. It is the second day of Eastertide. In Western Christianity, it marks the second day of the Octa ...

. City hall motto: "The Sea as Tradition".

Tourism

Seasoned by the salt and the sun, by maritime breeze and by the wild pine scent, the mood of Ilhavo's native people is happy, energetic, daring and creative. The daily working adventure, sometimes tragic, didn't erase the sweetness of these women and men, who, by knowing themselves privileged for inhabiting such a unique territory, full of scenic beauty and disputed by the land, the sea and the salted lagoon, on games of lights and tides, throw themselves to work and leisure, with the same energy, enthusiasm and pride for their culture and identity. Witnesses of that character are the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo, with its Codfish Aquarium,

Santo André's Ship Museum Santo ('saint' in various languages) may refer to: People * Santo (given name) * Santo (surname) * El Santo, Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (1917–1984), Mexican wrestler and actor * Bob Santo or Santo, stage name of Ghanaian comedian John Evans Kwadwo ...

and the Investigation and Entrepreneurship Centre, one of the most visited across the country, honouring all those who, in the past and the present, dedicate their lives to fishing, either at deep-sea – such as

cod Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not call ...

fishing – at the coast or at the lagoon, and even to riverside activities. Of that same type is the Museum of Vista Alegre, yet today, a symbol for national excellence on the fields of creativity, quality and entrepreneurship. It reminds not only the industrial heritage of this factory, but also the path of its working community, living in that which is one of the biggest, oldest and still-working European industrial neighbourhoods, almost a mini-city, where there is a lot to learn and to live. Along with this relevant intangible heritage are the ''Cardadores'', iconic figures from Vale de Ilhavo's traditional

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

. Such a lifestyle, from each one of the communities of this polycentric territory, is taken out from the gardens, streets and alleys into the cultural equipments… the “ Casa da Cultura” is a second home for spectators and artists, a place to welcome the world, the “ Fábrica das Ideias”, just as the industrial city where it is settled –

Gafanha da Nazaré Gafanha da Nazaré () is a city and parish (''freguesia'') in the Ílhavo Municipality, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 15,240,Laboratório das Artes - Vista Alegre Theatre” is a space aimed at thinking, research and experiment, by welcoming the most erudite cultural events, either classical or contemporary. Finally, “ Cais Criativo” is a young and effervescent space in the summer, relaxing, just as the beach where it is located – Costa Nova, and introspective and inspiring during the winter. Sailing, surfing, kitesurfing, canoeing or diving, apart from major water sports and other sport varieties, are the motivational poster of the estuary and the sea, natural amphitheatres for water sports, at a Municipality where bikes, hiking or sport practice at the various public fields, are part of leisure activities, which also includes relaxing at the charismatic beaches of Barra and Costa Nova.

Demographics

International relations

Twin towns - sister cities

Ílhavo is twinned with: *

Funchal Funchal () is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Madeira, Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Because of ...

, Portugal *

Grindavík Grindavík () is a fishing town on the Southern Peninsula (Iceland), Southern Peninsula of Iceland not far from the tuya Þorbjörn (mountain), Þorbjörn. It is one of the few cities with a harbour on this coast. Most of the inhabitants work in ...

, Iceland *

Ihtiman Ihtiman ( bg, Ихтиман ) is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located in the Ihtimanska Sredna Gora mountains and lies in a valley 48 km from Sofia and 95 km from Plovdiv, close to the Trakiya motorway. For ...

, Bulgaria *

New Bedford New Bedford (Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American pe ...

, United States *

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

, United States *

Paraty Paraty (or Parati, ) is a preserved Portuguese colonial (1500–1822) and Brazilian Imperial (1822–1889) municipality with a population of about 43,000. Indeed, the name "Paraty" originates from the local Guaianá Indians' Indigenous Tupi ...

, Brazil *

Cabo Frio Cabo Frio (, ''Cold Cape'') is a tourist destination located in the state of Rio de Janeiro state. It was founded by the Portuguese on November 13, 1615. The Brazilian coast runs east from Rio de Janeiro to Cabo Frio where it turns sharply north ...

, Brazil * St. John's, Canada

Friendship

Cuxhaven Cuxhaven (; ) is an independent town and seat of the Cuxhaven district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town includes the northernmost point of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the shore of the North Sea at the mouth of the Elbe River. Cuxhaven has ...

, Germany

Notable people

Tomé de Barros Queirós Tomé José de Barros Queirós (Thomé José de Barros Queiroz in Portuguese; 2 February 1872 in Ílhavo – 5 May 1925 in Lisbon) was a Portuguese trader, capitalist and politician of the period of the Portuguese First Republic. Among oth ...

(1872–1925) a Portuguese businessman and politician in the

First Portuguese Republic The First Portuguese Republic ( pt, Primeira República Portuguesa; officially: ''República Portuguesa'', Portuguese Republic) spans a complex 16-year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy ...

Mário Sacramento Mário Emílio de Morais Sacramento (July 7, 1920 – March 27, 1969) was a Portuguese physician and essayist that became famous for his antifascist activities against the dictatorial regime led ...

(1920–1969) a Portuguese physician and essayist, antifascist activist *

António Bagão Félix António José de Castro Bagão Félix (born 9 April 1948) is a Portuguese economist and politician. Education Bagão Félix received his university degree in Finance from the Technical University of Lisbon's ISEG, formerly known as ISCEF ( ...

(born 1948) a Portuguese economist and politician. * Maria Rebelo (born 1956) a retired female marathon runner, competed in two summer Olympics

References

External links

Municipality official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ilhavo Municipalities of Aveiro District