São Félix Hill
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São Félix Hill or Mount São Félix, ''Monte de São Félix'' in Portuguese, is the highest hill in
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 ...
,
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 ...
, as measured by the height above sea level of its summit, . São Félix is the north of the two hills east of the city, the other being
Cividade Hill Cividade Hill (Portuguese: ''Monte da Cividade'') or Cividade de Terroso Hill with an elevation of is one of the two hills next to the city of Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. Cividade Hill's most notable feature is Cividade de Terroso in the hillt ...
. São Félix is located in the civil parish of Laundos, and is a sequence of Serra de Rates mountain range. In the Middle Ages the hill was known as ''Lanudos'', hence the name of the civil parish. Despite its low height, São Félix is easily distinguished in the landscape because it is a significant rise in front of a coastal plain. Alto River's source is located in São Félix Hill and ends at Rio Alto Beach in Estela.


Myths and religion

The hill is of ancient cult to the people of Póvoa de Varzim, especially the fishermen, as it was used as a reference from the sea. It is one of the sacred hills of Northern Portugal, ''sacro-monte'' in Portuguese. It has several temples: Senhora da Saúde chapel, Senhora da Saúde Sanctuary, the small São Félix Chapel, 12 sideway shrines, and the main São Félix Chapel in the top of the hill. While Senhora da Saúde temples are located in the base, the ones from São Félix are located higher in the hill. It is also the main pilgrimage site of Póvoa de Varzim and
Vila do Conde Vila do Conde (, ; "the Count's Town") is a municipality in the Norte Region, Portugal, 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 ...
, especially important for the fisher community, who walk a 7 km long way from the Matriz Church of Póvoa de Varzim to Senhora da Saúde Shrine. In the latest pilgrim measures, it gathered 30,000 pilgrims in 2009 and over 40,000 in 2010.Um mar de gente seguiu andor da Senhora da Saúde
- Jornal de Notícias It is believed that Saint Félix used to live in this hill, thus its current name. In a local myth, that became important for Christianity in the Iberian Peninsula, Félix is thought to have found the body of the first bishop of the Iberian Peninsula, Saint Peter of Rates, in the hilltop while seeing a light every evening. This myth was used by Braga clergy in order to justify that city's religious leading role in Christian Iberia.


Castro culture ruins

The hill has ruins of a small castro settlement of around the 2nd century B.C known as ''Castro de Laundos'', that could have been an outpost of Cividade de Terroso. A vase with jewels inside, used in a Castro culture death ritual, was found in 1904 this is one of the most important jewelry artifacts found in Northwest Iberian Peninsula.


Tourism

The hill has iconic panoramic view over the city, its rural area, and beaches; mills (some converted into holiday houses), and the Cividade Hill. The Rates Shooting Camp is located nearby. The São Félix Stairs is used to reach the hilltop and can be a defy to some, although one can also reach the top throw a small road. The stairs throw the hill can be seen from the city as these are illuminated at night.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sao Felix Hill Geography of Póvoa de Varzim Landmarks in Póvoa de Varzim Hills of Portugal Tourist attractions in Póvoa de Varzim