Valença (), officialy the Municipality of Valença (), also known as Valença do Minho (Traditional ), is a municipality and a town in Portugal, bordered across from Tui, Galicia. The population in 2011 was 14,127,Instituto Nacional de Estatística
/ref> in an area of 117.13 km².Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país
/ref> Valença officially became a city on 12 June 2009. The municipality is located in Viana do Castelo District. The present Mayor is Jorge Mendes, elected by the Social Democratic Party (PSD). The municipal holiday is 18 February.

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 11 civil parishes ('' freguesias''): * Boivão * Cerdal * Fontoura * Friestas * Gandra e Taião * Ganfei * Gondomil e Sanfins * São Julião e Silva * São Pedro da Torre * Valença, Cristelo Covo e Arão * Verdoejo

General information

Valença is a walled town located on the left bank of

Minho River The Minho ( ; ) or Miño ( ; ; ; ) is the longest river in the autonomous community of Galicia in Spain, with a length of . It forms a part of the international border between Spain and Portugal. By discharge volume, it is the fourth largest r ...

, approximately 25 km from the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

. The municipality is limited to the north with

establishing the border with

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, to south-southeast with the municipality of Paredes de Coura, to southwest with Vila Nova de Cerveira and to the east with

Monção Monção (; ) is a municipality in the district of Viana do Castelo (district), Viana do Castelo in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 19,230, in an area of 211.31 km2. The current mayor is the Social Democrat António Barbosa. The municip ...

. Linked to the wall rises the new quarter, where buildings such as social facilities, schools, the stadium and sports centre, the health care centre, the municipal market and the municipal swimming pools are located. Concerning cuisine, Valença offers genuine delicacies such as ''Lampreia à Minhota'' (

lamprey Lampreys (sometimes inaccurately called lamprey eels) are a group of Agnatha, jawless fish comprising the order (biology), order Petromyzontiformes , sole order in the Class (biology), class Petromyzontida. The adult lamprey is characterize ...

), ''Cabrito à Sanfins'' ( kid), ''Bacalhau à São Teotónio'' (dried

codfish Cod (: cod) is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly ...

) and ''Empanada'' (meat or fish pie).

History

Valença origins date back from

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

times. The two existent

Roman roads Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...

are the proof (the Via IV of Antonine Itinerary XIX, of military use, and the designated per loca marítima - Itinerary XX -, of commercial use). Also inside the fortified walls a

Roman milestone Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...

marks the XLII mile of the road connecting

Braga Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...

to Tui. This stronghold was populated by order of King Sancho I during the 12th century. It was called ''Contrasta'' which means "village opposed to another", Tui (

) in this case. King Afonso III changed its name to Valença in the 13th century. Its historical importance is mainly due to military constraints. It had a decisive role for the defense and integrity 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 ...

from neighbouring

. Today the town is peacefully invaded by the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

that visit it for commercial and touristic purposes. The Portuguese still use the fortress.

Attractions

*The fortress :The most interesting things to visit are mainly inside the fortress that looks down to the

and Galicia. They have been destroyed several times whether it were the

Barbarians A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice. A "barbarian" may ...

, the

Moors The term Moor is an Endonym and exonym, exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslims, Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a s ...

, the armies of

Asturias Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...

and Leon or even the French troops in the 19th century, they have always been restored and still very well preserved. :Valença's fortress is a piece of gothic and baroque military architecture. The first walls were built in the 13th century. It was upgraded during the 17th and 18th century forming the present bulwarked system. It is placed on top of two small hills and it is formed by two polygons (the ''Recinto Magistral'' and the ''Coroada'') separated by a ditch and with four doors (''Coroada'', ''Gaviarra'', ''Fonte da Vila'' and ''Sol''). The main entrance is ''Porta do Sol'' (Sun's door). This door was damaged during the Napoleonic invasions. *The old international bridge :In 1879

and

agreed to construct a bi-functional (road and train) bridge. The bridge was inspired by Eiffel works. The bridge is still in use although a new bridge was built south of the older one. *Roman milestone :Located inside the fortress this

dates back from the 1st century AD. It has the following inscription: :TIBERIUS CLAUDIUS CAESER AUGUSTUS GERMANICUS PONTIFEX MAXIMUS. IMPERATOR V CONSUL III, TRIBUNICIA POTESTATE III. PATER PATRIAE BRACARA XLII. :It marks 42 Roman miles' (62 km) distance on the road from

to Tui and the

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; ; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54), or Claudius, was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusus and Ant ...

ordered its construction when the Via IV of Antonine was rebuilt. *Church of

Saint Stephen Stephen (; ) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity."St ...

:A romanic church built during the 13th century and a neo-classic rebuilt during the 18th century. Inside several panels representing scenes

Saint Stephen Stephen (; ) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity."St ...

life can be admired. *Church of

Saint Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

of Angels :Romanic church built during the 12th century. The popular decoration and the ceiling are the eye-catcher. *The cannons :Along the north wall several old cannons very well maintained are positioned pointing to the river and Galicia as if to remind of their old purpose. *Statue of ''São Teotónio'' :'' São Teotónio'' was the first Portuguese saint. Born near Valença, in Ganfei, he was the confessor of King Afonso Henriques. He is the village patron saint.

Photo gallery

Image:Valença_-_Rua_C_Lopes_da_Silva.jpg, Inside the fortified walls Image:Valença - Vista sobre o rio Minho.jpg, View over Minho River Image:Valença - Portas da Coroada.jpg, Door entrance of the fortified walls Image:Valença - Canhão.jpg, Cannon File:Lindberg Friestas2.JPG, Monument of

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

in Friestas, Valença

Notable people

* Theotonius of Coimbra (ca.1082 - 1162) ''(São Teotónio)'' a

Canon Regular The Canons Regular of St. Augustine are Catholic priests who live in community under a rule ( and κανών, ''kanon'', in Greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religiou ...

, royal advisor and the first Portuguese saint. * Francisco Xavier da Silva Pereira, 1st Count of Antas (1793–1852) a nobleman and a soldier during the

Liberal Wars The Liberal Wars (), also known as the Portuguese Civil War () and the War of the Two Brothers () was a civil war in Portugal that lasted from May 1828 to May 1834, fought between liberal progressive constitutionalists (led by former King P ...

. * António Sampaio da Nóvoa (born 1954) an academic professor and unsuccessful independent candidate in the 2016 Portuguese presidential election. * Inês Fernandes (born 1988) a Portuguese Paralympic athlete

References

External links

Municipality official websiteCasa do Poço PalaceQuinta Grande Raposeira
- Website in Portuguese

- Website in Portuguese
Valença Radio 91.7
- Website in Portuguese
A V Minho Bus Company
Local buses and buses to Porto
Autna Bus Company
Buses to and from Vigo (Spain). {{DEFAULTSORT:Valenca, Portugal Towns in Portugal Municipalities of Viana do Castelo District Portugal–Spain border crossings