230px, Largo do Casino (Casino Square). 230px, Praça do Almada. Póvoa de Varzim is a former

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

civil parish, located in the city of

Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portugal, Portuguese city in Norte Region, Portugal, Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho River, Minho ...

. It is the core of the city of Póvoa de Varzim and until the new city limits established in 1995 it was the single parish that made up the city. In the census of 2011, it had a population of 28,420 inhabitants and a total area of 5.25 km². A 2012 law merged the parish with neighbouring

Argivai Argivai is an urban area in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. It is an ancient ecclesiastical parish and former civil parish located in the city of Póvoa de Varzim. In the census of 2001, it had a population of 2,187 inhabitants and a total area of 2. ...

and

Beiriz Beiriz is a suburban area in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. It is an ancient ecclesiastical parish and former civil parish. In the census of 2001, it had a population of 3,229 inhabitants and a total area of 4.31 km2. A 2012 law merged the paris ...

, becoming the southern parish of the city of Póvoa de Varzim, known as União das Freguesias da Póvoa de Varzim, Beiriz e Argivai. Póvoa de Varzim is densely populated. The medieval town of Varzim was a knights honour and the Port of Varzim was disputed between the local lordship and the early Portuguese kings. The history of this parish is prevalent in the history of Póvoa de Varzim. Religiously speaking, there is no Póvoa de Varzim parish, it was divided into three parishes in 1935, parochial identity of its main quarters (Bairro Norte, Bairro Sul and Bairro da Matriz) predate this event. Póvoa de Varzim ecclesiastical parish (Santa Maria de Varzim Parish) existed only between 1456 and 1935. Prior to that, and despite the existence of a chapel, it was part of a larger Argivai parish, that still exists as a separate although diminished parish in the city.

Geography

The area of the parish of Póvoa de Varzim is today practically totally urbanized and completely transformed by man. The former Póvoa Bay (''Enseada da Póvoa''), is the modern Port of Póvoa de Varzim, former small rivers existed in the city, as some excavations near the Casino suggest.

Praça do Almada 280px, The Pelourinho, the 16th-century town pillory. The square's plate. The square name honors an 18th-century politician that prompted Póvoa de Varzim's urban development in the late 1700s. Praça do Almada (Almada's Square) is the civic cent ...

, the civic center square, was the location of the Boído Lagoon in Póvoa Bay. In the Northern high-rise district, another lagoon existed until the 20th century. Historically, the city was formed by three urban quarters:

Bairro da Matriz Bairro da Matriz (In Portuguese it means Mother/First Church Quarter) is the historical neighbourhood of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim and part of the Matriz/Mariadeira district. 180px, left, Matriz/Mariadeira district in the city of P ...

(14th century),

Bairro Sul Bairro Sul, literally the South Neighborhood, also known as Lapa, is the fishery district of the city of Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. It is one of the six traditional neighborhoods of Póvoa de Varzim and one of the eleven parts in which the city ...

(17th century) and

Bairro Norte Bairro Norte (North Quarter) is a quarter and district of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim. it is the most densely populated district of the city, it is also a beach resort. In the 19th century it was known as Bairro de S. José. Histo ...

(19th century), these are still the most important and the most beloved neighbourhoods by the population, as living in their area is not a requirement to one being considered part of it. Over time, other neighbourhoods started to be created. These and others areas had been inhabited from much earlier. Its Atlantic waters were very popular for talassoterapy until the mid-20th century, due to large amounts of algae and iodine.

City districts

The parish of Póvoa de Varzim contains nine of the eleven city districts: *

Agro-Velho Agro-Velho, historically and popularly known as Nova Póvoa, is one of the eleven officially designated districts located in the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim. It is a beach resort district located around Lagoa Cove. It was mostly develope ...

(south part) *

Centro Centro may refer to: Places Brazil *Centro, Santa Maria, a neighborhood in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * Centro, Porto Alegre, a neighborhood of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil *Centro (Duque de Caxias), a neighborhood of Duq ...

* Parque da Cidade (a very small part of it, known as

Montgeron Montgeron () is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is northeast part of the Department of Essonne. It is located from the center of Paris. The café ''Au Reveil Matin'' at 22 Avenue Jean Jaurès was the departure point ...

after the sister French town) * Barreiros * Giesteira (part) * Gândara (west part) *

/ Bairro da Mariadeira {{DEFAULTSORT:Povoa De Varzim Parish Former civil parishes of Póvoa de Varzim