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 ...
parish and a former township located in the municipality of
Póvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portuguese city in 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 and Douro rivers. In 2001, there were 63,470 ...
. The population in 2011 was 2,505,Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE) Census 2011 results according to the 2013 administrative division of Portugal in an area of 13.90 km².Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país /ref> The township has records dating to the 13th century and, still today, it preserves landmarks such as the townsquare and a well-preserved and notable Romanesque temple.
History
Rates is a medieval township that developed around the Monastery of Rates, established by
Henry, Count of Portugal
Henry (Portuguese: ''Henrique'', French: ''Henri''; c. 10661112), Count of Portugal, was the first member of the Capetian House of Burgundy to rule Portugal and the father of the country's first king, Afonso Henriques.
Biographical sketch
Fam ...
in 1100 AD on the site of an older temple dating to the 9th century or earlier and with sculpture elements dating to the Roman empire. A Roman road crossed near the monastery.
Rates naming seems pre-Roman in origin. The town gained importance due to the legend of
Saint Peter of Rates
Peter of Rates ( pt, Pedro de Rates), also known in English as Peter of Braga, is traditionally considered to be the first bishop of Braga between the years AD 45 and 60. Tradition says he was ordered to preach the Christian faith by James th ...
, mythical first bishop of Braga and martyr while attempting to convert Roman pagans to
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
, becoming in a central place in the Portuguese Way of Saint James and the local myth was used by Braga archbishops to justify their primacy in Hispania.
Rates township, a municipality, already existed in the 13th century and the ecclesiastical parish exists from time immemorial, while the earliest record dating to the 11th century.
In the 16th century, the monastery was dissolved and a commendation of the Order of Christ was created. Its first knight commander was
Tomé de Sousa
Tomé de Sousa (1503–1579) was the first governor-general of the Portuguese colony of Brazil from 1549 until 1553. He was a nobleman and soldier born in Rates, Póvoa de Varzim. Sousa was born a noble and participated in military expeditions in ...
, who
John III of Portugal
John III ( pt, João III ; 7 June 1502 – 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious (Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1521 until his death in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the thi ...
made the first Governor of Brazil.
The town was extinct as it lost its municipal status in 1836 and was annexed to Póvoa de Varzim. It then became just a simple civil parish, and gained town status on July 2, 1993, due to its historical importance. however, the new status is merely honorary in nature and has no administrative significance.
Geography
Rates is located 11 km east of downtown Póvoa de Varzim; and borders
Laundos
Laundos or Laúndos is one of the seven civil parishes of Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 2,055,
to the west, and
Balasar
Balazar (or Balasar) is one of the seven parishes of the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim. The population in 2011 was 2,543,Barcelos and to the south with
Vila do Conde
Vila do Conde (, ; "the Count's Town") is a municipality in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 79,533, in an area of 149.03 km². The urbanized area of Vila do Conde, which includes the parishes of Vila do Conde, Azurar ...
.
The parish is dominated by Serra de Rates, whose flora is distinguished by the Pedunculate Oak or the European Holly.
The entire town is centred on the monastery of Rates. Its historical centre is very well preserved, and it runs to Direita street, where the nobles and the bourgeoisie of the town used to live.
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Architecture
* São Pedro de Rates Church (12th century building listed as National Monument)
*Pillory of Rates (listed property of public interest)
*Senhor da Praça Chapel (Baroque architecture)