Amarante () is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
and municipal seat in the
Tâmega e Sousa
The Intermunicipal communities of Portugal, Comunidade Intermunicipal do Tâmega e Sousa () is an administrative division in northern Portugal. It was created in 2009. Since January 2015, Tâmega e Sousa is also a NUTS3 subregion of Norte Region, P ...
subregion
in northern Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. The population in 2011 was 56,264,
[Instituto Nacional de Estatística]
/ref> in an area of . The city itself had a population of 11,261 in 2001. The city has been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network under the category of City of Music since 2017.
History
Amarante's origin dates to the primitive peoples that hunted and gathered in the ''Serra da Aboboreira'', sometime during the Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...
, and extended during the Bronze Age and later the Romanization of the Iberian peninsula.
The first prominent building erected during the area of Amarante was likely the ''Albergaria do Covelo do Tâmega'' sometime in the 12th century, by order of Queen D. Mafalda, wife of D. Afonso Henriques
Dom Afonso IOr also ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonso'' ( Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin version), sometimes rendered in English as ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', depending on the Spanish or French influence ...
. These types of shelter were constructed in small settlements and were used by travellers, especially the poor who transited the territory. Permanent settles fixed themselves around the local churches, such as the Church of São Veríssimo and Church of Lufrei, resulting in growth during the intervening years.
The urban agglomeration of Amarante became important and gained visibility with the arrival of Gonçalo Gonçalo is a Portuguese masculine given name and family name, equivalent to the Spanish name Gonzalo.
People with the name include:
* Gonçalo Brandão, a Portuguese footballer
*Gonçalo Coelho, a Portuguese explorer of the South Atlantic and o ...
(1187-1259) a Dominican friar who was born in Tagilde (Guimarães
Guimarães () is a city and municipality located in northern Portugal, in the district of Braga.
Its historic town centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, in recognition for being an "exceptionally well-preserved ...
), who settled in the area following a pilgrimage to Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
and Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
. He was instrumental in the development of the region, with many local structures attributed to his efforts, including the construction of the stone bridge across the Tâmega River Tâmega may refer to:
* Tâmega River, in Spain and Portugal
* Tâmega Subregion, Portugal
* Guilherme Tâmega, six time world bodyboarding champion
* List of ships of the Portuguese Navy#Destroyers, ''Tamega'', a Portuguese Navy destroyer
{{dab, ...
. Following his death, Amarante became the destination of pilgrimages and grew substantially.
In the 16th century, King D. John III expanded the local church and resulting in its conversion into a large Dominican monastery.
The bridge was destroyed by a flood in 1763 and was rebuilt.
In the second French invasion, during the Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
, French forces commanded by Marshall Soult, found themselves at the bridge over the Tâmega, and needed to secure their connection to Spain, while advancing from Porto to Marco de Canaveses through Amarante. Soult, realizing that Beresford's Portuguese and English forces were advancing on him, sent a column to the Tâmega valley, in order to prepare the way for a new column. Under the column, commanded by Loison, through looting, skirmishes and unsuccessful attempts to cross the river, entered in Amarante on 18 April 1809, having looted and burned down the villages of Vila Meã, Manhufe and Pidre.[ In the village they continue to loot and burn down buildings, except for larger family residences, which were left intact and destined to function as the French headquarters and field hospitals.][ There are still vestiges of these events, including those in the Estate of Magalhães, the facade of the Church of São Gonçalo, the perforated tiles in the sacristy and the damaged pyramids on the bridge.][
The bridge was also significant to the resistance in the northern campaign. Loison did not count on the entrenched conflict between his forces and the Anglo-Portuguese forces, commanded by Brigadier Silveira.][ These forces, which included badly-equipped, inexperienced citizens and clergy, were able to resist for the next 14 days, impeding the passage of Napoleonic forces, later known as the ''heroic defense of the bridge of Amarante''.][ The circlement of the bridge ended on 2 May, around 3:00, following a diversionary manoeuvre by French forces that diverted a small pocket of Portuguese stationed at Eira do Paço, who believed the French would attempt to across by Morleiros.][ Taking advantage of the fog, the French placed gunpowder near the Portuguese trenches along the bridge, then detonated the explosives. These created confusion and panic among the defenders and caused death and injury in their ranks.][ Loison then continued his journey, until he was forced to withdraw in the upper Douro by Brigadier Silveira's forces, who he had reorganized, during Napoleon's northern march to the city of Lisbon. For his efforts, Silveira was given a cavalry command, owing to his defense of the bridge, and attributed the title of Count of Amarante and elevated to the status of General.][ The town was also awarded the Order of the Tower and Sword, which it displays on its coats-of-arms.][
The municipality of Amarante, administratively, was part of the ]Minho Province
Minho () was a former province in Portugal, established in 1936 and dissolved in 1976. It consisted of 23 municipalities, with its capital in the city of Braga. Today, the area would include the districts of Braga and Viana do Castelo. Minho ha ...
, and abutted the municipalities of Celorico de Basto (to the north), Gestaço (in the east), Gouveia (in the south) and Santa Cruz de Riba Tâmega (in the west). With administrative reforms during the 19th century, the municipalities of Gouveia, Gestaço and Santa Cruz de Ribatâmega were extinguished, and many of the local parishes were absorbed into the Amarante.
Geography
Amarante is situated in the agricultural lands of the Minho Minho or Miño may refer to:
People
* Miño (surname)
* Choi Min-ho, South Korean singer and actor known mononymously as Minho
Places
* Minho (river) or Miño, in Portugal and Spain
Jamaica
* Rio Minho, a river
Portugal
* Minho Province
...
region, and belongs to the Porto district, region Norte and sub-region Támega. The Tâmega River Tâmega may refer to:
* Tâmega River, in Spain and Portugal
* Tâmega Subregion, Portugal
* Guilherme Tâmega, six time world bodyboarding champion
* List of ships of the Portuguese Navy#Destroyers, ''Tamega'', a Portuguese Navy destroyer
{{dab, ...
runs through the town and is crossed by a large arched bridge, the Ponte São Gonçalo. It is reputed to have helped local forces fend off a French attack in the early 19th century. Nowadays the older centre of town is dominated by a multitude of cafés and restaurants dotted along the steep banks of the southern side of the Tâmega River Tâmega may refer to:
* Tâmega River, in Spain and Portugal
* Tâmega Subregion, Portugal
* Guilherme Tâmega, six time world bodyboarding champion
* List of ships of the Portuguese Navy#Destroyers, ''Tamega'', a Portuguese Navy destroyer
{{dab, ...
. Amarante is also associated with the tale of Saint Gonzalo/Gonçalo de Amarante.
Climate
Parishes
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 26 civil parishes
In England, a civil parish is a type of Parish (administrative division), administrative parish used for Local government in England, local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishe ...
:
* Aboadela, Sanche e Várzea
* Amarante (São Gonçalo), Madalena, Cepelos e Gatão Amarante may refer to:
* Amarante, Portugal, municipality in northern Portugal
* Amarante, Piauí, municipality in Piauí, Brazil
* Amarante do Maranhão, municipality in Maranhão, Brazil
* Catello Amarante (rower, born 1979), Italian rower
* Cate ...
* Ansiães
* Bustelo, Carneiro e Carvalho de Rei
* Candemil
* Figueiró (Santiago e Santa Cristina)
* Fregim
* Freixo de Cima e de Baixo
* Fridão
* Gondar
Gondar, also spelled Gonder (Amharic: ጎንደር, ''Gonder'' or ''Gondär''; formerly , ''Gʷandar'' or ''Gʷender''), is a city and woreda in Ethiopia. Located in the North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, Gondar is north of Lake Tana on ...
* Jazente
* Lomba
* Louredo
* Lufrei
* Mancelos
* Olo e Canadelo
* Padronelo
* Real, Ataíde e Oliveira
* Rebordelo
* Salvador do Monte
* São Simão de Gouveia
* Telões
* Travanca
* Vila Caiz
* Vila Chã do Marão
* Vila Garcia, Aboim e Chapa
International Relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Amarante is twinned with:
* Wiesloch
Wiesloch (, locally ; South Franconian: ''Wissloch'') is a town in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 13 kilometres south of Heidelberg. After Weinheim, Sinsheim and Leimen, it is the fourth largest town in the Rhein-Neckar-K ...
, Germany
* Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, France
* Achères, France
Economy
On the abandoned Tâmega railway line between Amarante and Chapa Stations, the Council of Amarante built the ˝Ecopista˝ pathway for bicycles and pedestrians. The Tâmega Line Ecotrack is long and wide, running very close to the Támega River.
The Amarante Golf Course, designed by Portuguese architect Jorge Santana da Silva, lies in Quinta da Deveza and was founded in 1997. It is an 18-hole, par 68 course with a total length of 5.030 metres. It is located in the Fregim parish, around from the town of Amarante.
Amarante lies around half a kilometre from the A4 Motorway. There is also a bus station, served principally by Rodonorte, to the south of the Támega river. Between 1909 and 2009 Amarante was served by a narrow gauge railway
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with Minimum railw ...
line, which connected with the main Douro Valley railway line at Livraçao. Amarante station and the entire Tâmega line closed in 2009.
Architecture
The architecture of the Amarante region is mainly in the Romanesque style, with a number of Romanesque monuments (colonnades, arches, tympana and columns) throughout the region. They were built in deserted areas or on crossroads on the outskirts of inhabited areas, serving as meeting places, accommodation and defensive positions. Amarante became part of the Sousa Valley Romanesque Route (Rota do Românico) project on the 12 March 2010.
Important religious buildings can be found to the north of the Tâmega, and include the Travanca monastery, the Mancelos church, the Telões church, the Freixo de Baixo monastery and the Gatão church. On the southern side of the river, can be found the Jazente church, the Lufrei church and the Gondar monastery which are in a more modest style.
* Church of Salvador ()
* Church of Santa Maria ()
* Church of São João Baptista ()
* Convent of São Gonçalo de Amarante ()
* Monastery of Divino Salvador ()
* Monastery of Gondar ()
* Monastery of Lufrei ()
* Monastery of Mancelos ()
* Monastery of Telões ()
* Monastery of São Salvador de Travanca ()
Notable citizens
* Gundisalvus of Amarante
Gundisalvus of Amarante, OP (; 1187 – 10 January 1259) was a Catholic Church in Portugal, Portuguese Catholic priest in the Order of Preachers. He joined the order as a hermit after his return from a long pilgrimage that took him to both Rome ...
(1187 in Vizela - 1259 in Amarante), Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
and member of the Order of Preachers
The Order of Preachers (, abbreviated OP), commonly known as the Dominican Order, is a Catholic mendicant order of pontifical right that was founded in France by a Castilian priest named Dominic de Guzmán. It was approved by Pope Honorius ...
. He was canonized in 1560, and beatified in 1561
* Diogo Veloso
Diogo Veloso, or Diego Belloso in the Spanish historical accounts (1558 – 1599), was a Portuguese adventurer active in Southeast Asia in the last quarter of the 16th century, acting sometimes in the service of the Spanish Governor of the Spanis ...
(1558-1599) a Portuguese adventurer active in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
* José Guedes de Carvalho e Meneses (1814–1879) a Portuguese colonial administrator, governor general of Cape Verde
Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...
& Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...
* António Carneiro
António Teixeira Carneiro Júnior (16 September 1872 – 31 March 1930) was a Portuguese painter, illustrator, poet and art professor.
Biography
Born into a working-class family, at the age of seven, he was abandoned by his father and lost his m ...
(1872–1930) a Portuguese painter, illustrator, poet and art professor.
* Joaquim Pereira Teixeira de Vasconcelos (1877 in Amarante - 1952), a poet, pen name ''Teixeira de Pascoaes''. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature
The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...
.
* Artur Carlos de Barros Basto (1887–1961), soldier and writer about Judaism.
* Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso (1887–1918) a Portuguese modernist painter
* Augusto Casimiro (1889–1967) a Portuguese journalist, poet and political commentator.
* Agustina Bessa-Luís, (1922–2019) a Portuguese writer of novels
* António Marinho e Pinto (born 1950 in Vila Chã do Marão) lawyer, journalist and politician
* Francisco Assis (born 1965) a Portuguese politician, former MEP & mayor of Amarante
Sport
* Mário Delgado (born 1924) an equestrian competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad () and commonly known as Rome 1960 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 25 August to 11 September 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had previously been awar ...
* António José Alves Ribeiro (born 1965), known as ''Tozé'', is a Portuguese retired footballer with 330 club caps
* Nuno Gomes (born 1976) a former footballer with 463 club caps and 79 for Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
* Ricardo Carvalho
Ricardo Alberto Silveira de Carvalho (; born 18 May 1978) is a Portuguese professional association football, football coach and former player who is currently assistant head coach of the Portugal national football team, Portugal national team ...
(born 1978) a retired footballer with 433 club caps and 89 for Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
References
External links
Official website
Photos from AMARANTE
Rota do Românico
{{Authority control
Towns in Portugal
Municipalities of Porto District
Populated places in Porto District