Barcelos () is a city and a municipality in Braga District in the Minho Province, in the north of

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 120,391, in an area of 378.90 km². With 60 parishes, it is the municipality with the highest number of parishes in the country. It is one of the growing municipalities in the country, and is well known for its textile and adobe industries, as well as its horseback riding events and "figurado" style of pottery, which are comical figurines with accentuated features of farmers, folk musicians, and nativity scene characters. Barcelos is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a Crafts and Folk Art City.

History

Originally a Roman settlement, it expanded and became the seat of the First Duke of Bragança in the 15th century. The palace of the Dukes of Bragança was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755 and is now an open-air museum. The town is on the Portuguese Way, a Christian pilgrimage route connecting to the Camino de Santiago. Construction of the Barcelos Bridge, crossing the Cávado River, dates to 1325. The Bridge was deemed a National Monument in 1910.

Rooster

The town is closely associated with the Rooster of Barcelos (), which often serves as a national symbol of Portugal. One of the many legends of the rooster involves the town's long history along a pilgrimage route. The story involves a wealthy man throwing a grand party, which ended after the silver had gone missing. Among the guests was a

pilgrim The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as ...

, who was accused of theft, and pleaded innocence before a judge. Unswayed by the pilgrim's claims, the judge sentenced the pilgrim to be hanged. As final protest, the pilgrim invoked divine intercession: the rooster being prepared for the judge's dinner would crow three times as proof of his innocence. As the execution approached, the judge at his dinner table watched the roasted bird miraculously crow three times. The judge quickly released the pilgrim, who would later return to Barcelos and commission a statue commemorating the divine providence.

Climate

Barcelos has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Csb'') with warm summers and very wet, mild winters.

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 61 civil parishes ('' freguesias''): * Abade de Neiva * Aborim * Adães * Airó * Aldreu * Alheira e Igreja Nova * Alvelos * Alvito (São Pedro e São Martinho) e Couto * Arcozelo * Areias * Areias de Vilar e Encourados * Balugães * Barcelinhos * Barcelos, Vila Boa e Vila Frescainha (São Martinho e São Pedro) * Barqueiros * Cambeses * Campo e Tamel (São Pedro Fins) * Carapeços * Carreira e Fonte Coberta * Carvalhal * Carvalhas * Chorente, Góios, Courel, Pedra Furada e Gueral * Cossourado * Creixomil e Mariz * Cristelo * Durrães e Tregosa * Fornelos * Fragoso * Galegos (Santa Maria) * Galegos (São Martinho) * Gamil e Midões * Gilmonde * Lama * Lijó * Macieira de Rates * Manhente * Martim * Milhazes, Vilar de Figos e Faria * Moure * Negreiros e Chavão * Oliveira * Palme * Panque * Paradela * Pereira * Perelhal * Pousa * Quintiães e Aguiar * Remelhe * Rio Covo (Santa Eugénia) * Roriz * Sequeade e Bastuço (São João e Santo Estêvão) * Silva * Silveiros e Rio Covo (Santa Eulália) * Tamel (Santa Leocádia) e Vilar do Monte * Tamel (São Veríssimo) * Ucha * Várzea * Viatodos, Grimancelos, Minhotães e Monte de Fralães * Vila Cova e Feitos * Vila Seca

Notable citizens

* Paio Peres Correia (–1275) a ''

Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...

'' warrior from Monte de Fralães. * João Garcia de Guilhade, (PT Wiki) (1239–1288) a famous trobadour from Milhazes. * Pedro Afonso, Count of Barcelos (1289–1350) illegitimate son of King Denis of Portugal and the third Count of Barcelos. *

Isabel of Barcelos Isabel is a female name of Iberian origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew '' Elisheba''). Arising in the 12th century, it became popu ...

(1402–1466) a lady of the Portuguese nobility * Lourenço de Almeida (–1508) an explorer from Martim and military commander. * Gaspar de Faria (–1576), was the 6th Bishop of Angra, from 1571 and 1576. * Francisco de Sá Carneiro (1934–1980) Prime Minister of Portugal; his paternal family were from Barcelos. * António Pires de Lima, (PT Wiki) (1936–2017) a lawyer from Barcelos.Ordem dos Advogados
* Gisela João (born 1983) a Portuguese fado singer. * Renata Gomes (born 1985) a cardiovascular specialist and academic

Sport

* Dito (1962–2020) a footballer with 383 club caps and 17 with

* Capucho (born 1972) a former footballer with 410 club caps and 34 with

* Bruno Magalhães (born 1982) a former footballer with 443 club caps * Hugo Viana (born 1983) a footballer with 321 club caps and 29 with

* Nélson Oliveira (born 1991) a footballer with over 270 club caps and 17 with

Sport

Barcelos is home to Gil Vicente Futebol Clube ( football) and Óquei Clube de Barcelos ( rink hockey).

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* São Domingos,

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* Svishtov,

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References

{{Authority control Cities in Portugal Municipalities of Braga District