Viana Do Castelo, Portugal
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Viana do Castelo () is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
and seat of the district of
Viana do Castelo Viana do Castelo () is a concelho, municipality and seat of the district of Viana do Castelo District, Viana do Castelo in the Norte Region, Portugal, Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2021 was 85,778, in an area of . The urbanized are ...
in the Norte Region 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 2021 was 85,778, in an area of . The urbanized area of the municipality, comprising the city, has a population of approximately 36,148 inhabitants, although the extended densely populated region reaches surrounding municipalities like
Caminha Caminha () is a municipality in the north-west of Portugal, 21 km north from Viana do Castelo, located in the Viana do Castelo District. The population in 2011 was 16,684, in an area of 136.52 km². Caminha is subdivided into 14 civil ...
and
Ponte de Lima Ponte de Lima () is the oldest ''vila'' (chartered town, head of a municipality) in Portugal, in the district of Viana do Castelo (district), Viana do Castelo. Situated on the southern bank of the Lima River, it takes its name from the medieval br ...
with a population above 150,000 inhabitants. It is located at the mouth of the Lima river, on
the Portuguese Way The Portuguese Way (, ) is the name of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes starting in Portugal. It begins at Porto or Lisbon. From Porto, along the Douro River, pilgrims travel north crossing the five main rivers—the Ave, Cávado, Neiva, ...
path, an alternative path of the
Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago (, ; ), or the Way of St. James in English, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tra ...
.


History

Human settlement in the region of Viana began during the
Mesolithic era The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...
, from discoveries and archaeological excavations. Settlements in the Mount of Santa Luzia date back to the Iron age, extending into the
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 ...
occupation the area. The settlement of ''Viana da Foz do
Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
'', which it was called when King
Afonso III of Portugal Afonso IIIrare English alternatives: ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', or ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese), ''Alfonso'' or ''Alphonso'' (Portuguese-Galician languages, Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin). (; 5 May 121016 February 1279), ca ...
issued a
foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The ''Carta de Foral'', or simply ''Foral'', was a royal document in Portugal and its former empire, whose purpose was to establish a ''concelho'' (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and priv ...
(''charter'') on 18 July 1258, was a formalization of the 1253 ''Viana'' that the area was named. The port in Viana do Castelo played an important role in the city's development. In the 15th century, it was on the trade routes between the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic, when textiles, fruits, wood and iron were headed south while salt and agricultural products were northbound. In 1455, a cathedral was inaugurated in Viana do Castelo. During the later part of the century, the city became an important supplier of textiles to the newly established colonies in
Madeira Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...
and the
Azores The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
. However, the port's importance grew substantially from the 16th century, during the
age of discoveries The Age of Discovery (), also known as the Age of Exploration, was part of the early modern period and overlapped with the Age of Sail. It was a period from approximately the 15th to the 17th century, during which seafarers from European ...
, when the sugar trade from
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
emerges in Viana. Merchants from Northern Europe establish themselves in the city, trading in sugar and selling bread from the Baltic. In parallel, the fishing industry developed, due to cod fishing off the coast of
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
and
Greenland Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...
, an important foodstuff for cross Atlantic voyages. During this period of prosperity, a number of religious institutions installed themselves in the city and a via sacra (sacred way) was created, through the city's northern edge. In 1576, a Dominican convent and church is inaugurated to São Domingos ( St. Dominic), designed by monk Julião Romero. In 1612, a
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
convent to St. Anthony was founded to the north of the city by the
Order of Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (commonly called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; Post-nominal letters, postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a Mendicant orders, mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis ...
. The parish of Nossa Senhora de Monserrate ( Our Lady of Monserrat) was founded in 1621 next to the old barracks named Batalhão de Caçadores 9. In 1627 a decision was taken to establish a monastery of the
Order of Saint Augustine The Order of Saint Augustine (), abbreviated OSA, is a mendicant order, mendicant catholic religious order, religious order of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1244 by bringing together several eremitical groups in the Tuscany region who ...
to St. Theotonius. The monastery was inaugurated in 1630, but construction work continued for several years. In 1678, a chapel was built to the Holy Sepulchre, which by 1744 had originated a
Marian devotion Marian devotions are external pious practices directed to the person of Mary, mother of Jesus, by members of certain Christian traditions. They are performed in Catholicism, High Church Lutheranism, Anglo-Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Orie ...
to Nossa Senhora da Agonia (Our Lady of Agony), a large worship figure in Viana, especially among fishermen. Viana do Castelo had coastal defenses on its western side, at the mouth of the river since the reign of Alfonso III in the 13th century. During the 15th century, these would be upgraded, including Torre da Roqueta (tower of Roqueta), to protect from pirates. In the 16th century, defenses were again boosted, to protect the prosperous city, with the start of the construction of Fort Santiago da Barra. After the maritime discoveries and trade, the commercial life of Viana reached its greatest proportions during the reign of
Queen Maria II of Portugal Dona Maria II (Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Habsburgo-Lorena e Bragança; 4 April 1819 – 15 November 1853) also known as "the Educator" () or as ...
, when the monarch established the ''Associação Comercial de Viana do Castelo'' in 1852 (the fourth oldest public company of its type). The queen, in order to reward the loyalty of its citizens, who did not surrender to the Count of Antas, elevated the town to the status of city on 20 January 1848, renaming the settlement with its current name. In 1878, the railway line Linha do Minho reached Viana do Castelo connecting it to
Porto Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...
to the south. The railway crossed the Lima river on a new railway bridge,
Ponte Eiffel Ponte Eiffel is a multi-level road–rail bridge crossing the Lima River in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. It was designed by Gustave Eiffel. The structure is a candidate to the classification Classification is the activity of assigning objects to ...
, designed by
Gustave Eiffel Alexandre Gustave Eiffel ( , ; Bonickhausen dit Eiffel; 15 December 1832 – 27 December 1923) was a French civil engineer. A graduate of École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he made his name with various bridges for the French railway net ...
. In 1882, the line was completed, reaching the border with Spain to the north and Viana's railway station was completed. During the construction process, the monastery of the Order of Saint Augustine was demolished to make way for the project and much of its stonework was repurposed for viaducts and the station building. In 1884, the veneration of Santa Luzia (
St. Lucy Lucia of Syracuse ( – 304 AD), also called Saint Lucia () and better known as Saint Lucy, was a Roman Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution. She is venerated as a saint in Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern Orthod ...
) strengthened after a cavalry commander Luis de Andrade e Sousa founded the Confraternity of Santa Luzia. It was founded after his poor eyesight improved following two years visiting a chapel atop the mountain of Santa Luzia. The confraternity improved the state of the chapel and its accessibility. In 1904, construction started on the Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, commonly referred to as the church or sanctuary of Santa Luzia, on top of the mountain of Santa Luzia. Construction on its exterior ended in 1943, but works continue on its interior until 1959. The cult in Viana do Castelo dates back to 1743, but it grew in popularity during a pandemic in 1918. In 1926, the chapel of Santa Luzia would be demolished and its image transferred to the sanctuary. During the Estado Novo dictatorship, a shipbuilding industry was established in the city's port. On June 4, 1944, the Estaleiros Nacionais de Viana do Castelo (ENVC) were founded as part of a government program to modernize the country's fishing fleet. The shipyard was initially focused on constructing long-distance fishing vessels, such as those for cod fishing, but diversified its portfolio throughout the 20th century. The shipyard ran into financial difficulties in the 2000s, leading to a bankruptcy and restructuring in 2013.


Geography

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 27 civil parishes ('' freguesias''): * Afife * Alvarães * Amonde * Anha * Areosa * Barroselas e Carvoeiro * Cardielos e Serreleis * Carreço * Castelo do Neiva * Chafé * Darque * Freixieiro de Soutelo * Geraz do Lima (Santa Maria, Santa Leocádia e Moreira) e Deão * Lanheses * Mazarefes e Vila Fria * Montaria * Mujães * Nogueira, Meixedo e Vilar de Murteda * Outeiro * Perre * Santa Marta de Portuzelo * São Romão de Neiva * Subportela, Deocriste e Portela Susã * Torre e Vila Mou * Viana do Castelo (Santa Maria Maior e Monserrate) e Meadela * Vila de Punhe * Vila Franca


Climate

Viana do Castelo has a
warm-summer 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''; Thornthwaite: ''ArB'2a) with substantial
oceanic Oceanic may refer to: *Of or relating to the ocean *Of or relating to Oceania **Oceanic climate **Oceanic languages **Oceanic person or people, also called "Pacific Islander(s)" Places * Oceanic, British Columbia, a settlement on Smith Island, ...
influences characterized by warm, relatively dry summers and mild, rainy winters. It is also one of the rainiest cities in
Continental Portugal Continental Portugal (, ) or mainland Portugal comprises the bulk of the Portuguese Republic, namely that part on the Iberian Peninsula and so in continental Europe, having approximately 95% of the total population and 96.6% of the country's l ...
. Temperatures above 30 °C are relatively rare during summertime, happening on about 20 days per year on average; while in the cold months there are on average 29 days with frost.


Economy

Home to a modern service based economy, the city, along with its region, has a
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manc ...
with naval repairing facilities. Industry is a cornerstone of Viana do Castelo's economy, benefiting from its strategic location along Atlantic trade routes and investments in industrial parks. Key sectors include
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...
,
forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...
, metal products, machinery, and seafood processing. The municipality hosts one of Portugal's shipyards, the West Sea Shipyard (formerly '' Estaleiros Navais de Viana do Castelo''), although the shipbuilding industry has faced challenges, including bankruptcy and restructuring in 2013. In the forestry sector, Viana do Castelo ranks among the top five exporters in the Norte region, driven by its robust
pulp Pulp may refer to: * Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit * Pulp (band), an English rock band Engineering * Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper * Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture ...
and paper industry, which generated €249 million in exports in 2020. The machinery industry is also expanding, highlighted by
BorgWarner BorgWarner Inc. is an American automotive and Electric vehicle, e-mobility supplier headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. As of 2023, the company maintains production facilities and sites at 92 locations in 24 countries, and generates revenu ...
's €90 million investment in 2023 to establish a factory for producing electric motors and components for
hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
and
electric vehicles An electric vehicle (EV) is a motor vehicle whose propulsion is powered fully or mostly by electricity. EVs encompass a wide range of transportation modes, including road vehicle, road and rail vehicles, electric boats and Submersible, submer ...
. Additionally, Viana do Castelo plays a prominent role in high-technology exports, contributing 10.1% of the North Region's exports in this category.
Renewable energy Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
has also become a key driver of the local economy. The WindFloat Atlantic offshore
wind farm A wind farm, also called a wind park or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turbines covering an exten ...
, located off the coast of Viana do Castelo, has been operational since 2020. With three floating turbines, it has consistently supplied electricity to over 25,000 homes annually, avoiding over 33,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. As of 2024, it supported 1,500 direct and indirect jobs throughout its development, construction, and operation phases.


Architecture


Civic

Since the early 1990s the city started a wide urban renewal plan, pioneering the "Polis program", and including enlarging the pedestrian areas, building new modern architecture and creating new public spaces and parks. Architects such as Siza Vieira,
Eduardo Souto de Moura Eduardo Elísio Machado Souto de Moura (; born 25 July 1952), better known as Eduardo Souto de Moura, is a Portuguese architect who was the recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2011 and the Wolf Prize in Arts in 2013. Along with Fe ...
and Fernando Távora have participated in the construction of a modern, well preserved and lively city center. * ''Geraz do Lima'' carriage museum *Renaissance fountain (1535) in the Major Square *''Palacio de Tavoras'', a noble residence from the 16th and 17th centuries *Municipal Museum, housed in an 18th-century building and home to *''Paços do Conselho'' ("Palace of the Council", 1502), of which only the façade remains today


Religious

*''Church of São Domingos'' (1576) * ''Chapel of the Holy Family'' () * ''Chapel of Our Lady of the Agony'' (), church in Roccoco style * '' Cathedral of Viana do Castelo'' (), the 15th-century parochial church and cathedral, was constructed in the Romanesque style, comprising a façade flanked by two large towers with merlons, while the middle Gothic portal with
archivolt An archivolt (or voussure) is an ornamental Molding (decorative), moulding or band following the curve on the underside of an arch. It is composed of bands of ornamental mouldings (or other architectural elements) surrounding an arched opening, ...
s is decorated by sculptures depicting the ''Passion of Christ'' and of the Apostles. The interior designed in the form of the Latin cross, includes a nave and two aisles (separated by arches supported by pillars), as well as two ancillary chapels dedicated to São Bernardo and the Holy Sacrament, both attributed to João Lopes "the Elder". * ''Church of Mercy of Viana do Castelo'' (), designed in the
Flemish Flemish may refer to: * Flemish, adjective for Flanders, Belgium * Flemish region, one of the three regions of Belgium *Flemish Community, one of the three constitutionally defined language communities of Belgium * Flemish dialects, a Dutch dialec ...
-style. The building dates back to 1589. * ''Sanctuary of Saint Lucy'' (), designed by Miguel Ventura Terra and dedicated to the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saint Lucy of Syracuse.


Culture

The Festa de Nossa Senhora d'Agonia (Festivity of Our Lady of Agony), is held in Viana do Castelo annually and it is one of Portugal's largest and oldest religious festivals. The event spans several days and includes a wide variety of activities, both religious and secular. These range from
processions A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...
and ethnographic parades to performances featuring music, traditional dances, and large figures such as "cabeçudos" and "gigantones". Other attractions include a craft fair, fireworks displays, and musical concerts. The festivity has become an important cultural and economic event, stimulating tourism and local commerce. Since 1985 the Teatro Sá de Miranda has been owned by the municipality, which has restored it to its former glory as one of the leading theatres in the provinces of Portugal. Viana do Castelo has the headquarters of Portugal's second oldest newspaper, A Aurora do Lima. Viana do Castelo is renowned for its traditional pastries, such as the sidónio and the Torta de Viana. The sidónio, an almond-flavored pastry shaped like a coffin, is closely associated with the city's oldest bakery, Pastelaria Brasileira. Its name and design pay homage to
Sidónio Pais Sidónio Bernardino Cardoso da Silva Pais (1 May 1872 – 14 December 1918) nicknamed "the President-King" (), was the 4th president of Portugal, serving in 1918. A Portuguese people, Portuguese politician, Officer (armed forces), militar ...
, a prominent Portuguese statesman. The Torta de Viana, also known as Torta Real, is a sweet with origins dating back to 1505, linked to the Convent of Santa Ana in Viana do Castelo. It was historically reserved for special occasions and is recognized today as an iconic symbol of the city’s gastronomy. It was certified in 2021 to ensure adherence to its original recipe.


Sport

SC Vianense Sport Clube Vianense, commonly known as Vianense, is a Portuguese football club based in Viana do Castelo in the district of Viana do Castelo. SC Vianense currently plays in the Liga 3. The club was founded in 1898 and is one of the oldest cl ...
is the local
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club. Founded in 1898, it is one of the oldest clubs in Portugal. They play their home matches at the 3000 capacity Estádio do Dr. José de Matos.


Notable people

*
Sofia Aparício Sofia Delgado Cardoso dos Santos Aparício (born 2 June 1970 in Viana do Castelo) is a Portuguese model and actress. On 29 January 2017 she assumed being bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behav ...
(born 1970) a Portuguese model and actress. *
Pedro Manuel de Ataíde Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for '' Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meani ...
(1665–1722) an army officer and nobleman *
Luís do Rego Barreto Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...
(1777–1840) 1st Viscount of Geraz do Lima, a military officer and colonial administrator * Caramuru (ca.1475-1557) helped the early colonization of Brazil by the Portuguese crown. * Tânia Carvalho (born 1976) a choreographer and works in music, drawing and film. *
Joe Duarte Joe Duarte (born August 4, 1983) is a retired professional mixed martial arts champion and investor from Guam, and is of native Chamorro descent. Early life Duarte grew up in the village of Dededo, the largest and most densely populated villa ...
(born 1941) a politician and former Republican member of the
New Hampshire House of Representatives The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court, the bicameral State legislature (United States), legislature of the state of New Hampshire. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members com ...
*
João Álvares Fagundes João Álvares Fagundes (born c. 1460, Kingdom of Portugal – died 1522, Kingdom of Portugal) was an explorer and ship owner from Viana do Castelo in Northern Portugal. He organized several expeditions to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia around 152 ...
(ca.1460–1522) ship owner, explored Newfoundland & Nova Scotia. *
Óscar de Lemos Óscar de Lemos (17 September 1906–1954) was a Portuguese stage and film actor known for his roles in several Portuguese films of the 1930s and 1940s.Vieira p.161 Born in Viana do Castelo, Óscar de Lemos moved to Porto at the age of ten to live ...
(1906–1954) a Portuguese stage and film actor * Sebastião Lopes de Calheiros e Meneses (1816–1899) a colonial administrator of
Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...
and
Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
. * Paulo de Morais (born 1963) a professor and politician *
Francisco de Sá Noronha Francisco de Sá Noronha (Viana do Castelo, 1820 – 1881) was a Portuguese composer and violinist who wrote a "Fantasy for violin and orchestra", and many other works. References Classical Composer 1820 births 1881 deaths Portuguese c ...
(1820–1881) a composer and violinist * Luís Miguel Rocha (1976–2015) author, television writer and producer. * Olga Roriz (born 1955) a dancer and choreographer *
João de Sousa D. João de Sousa (1647Castro, 90 - 28 September 1710) was a Portuguese prelate, Bishop of Porto, Archbishop of Braga and Archbishop of Lisbon. Biography D. João was the son of Tomé de Sousa, 8th Lord of Gouveia with Francisca de Meneses, an ...
(1666–1722) 3rd Marquis of Minas, nobleman and the 6th Count of Prado. * Adriana de Vecchi (1896–1995) a cellist, Montessori-trained educator and founder of a Lisbon music school for children


Sport

* Jordão Cardoso (born 1996) a footballer * Miguel Crespo (born 1996) a footballer *
Mário Felgueiras Mário Jorge Quintas Felgueiras (born 12 December 1986) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, currently sporting director at Liga I club Universitatea Craiova. He started playing for Sporting, Portimone ...
(born 1986) a former footballer * César Fonte (born 1986) a cyclist *
Rogério Gonçalves Rogério de Sousa Gonçalves (; born 1 October 1959) is a Portuguese football manager, currently in charge of Mozambican club Clube Ferroviário da Beira. In a career of over three decades, he had brief Primeira Liga spells at Varzim, Naval, B ...
(born 1959) a football manager * Rui Lavarinhas (born 1971) a former cyclist * Iúri Leitão (born 1998) a Portuguese road and track cyclist *
Nélson Lenho Nélson Ricardo Cerqueira Rodrigues Lenho (born 22 March 1984) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a left-back. He played 84 matches in the Primeira Liga over five seasons, representing Leixões, Penafiel, Chaves and Av ...
(born 1984) a former footballer with 358 club caps * Manuela Machado (born 1963) a former long-distance runner * Tiago Mendes (born 1981) a football manager and former player with 457 club caps and 66 for Portugal * Martim Neto (born 2003) a footballer * Pedro Neto (born 2000) footballer for
Chelsea FC Chelsea Football Club is a professional football club based in Fulham, West London, England. The club was founded in 1905 and named after neighbouring area Chelsea. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football, pl ...
with 4 caps for Portugal * Vânia Neves (born 1990) a swimmer * João Queirós (born 1998) a footballer playing in the
Armenian Premier League The Armenian Premier League (, known as the Armenian Fastex Premier League for sponsorship reasons) is the top association football, football competition in Armenia. From 1936 to 1991, the competition was held as a regional tournament within th ...
*
Rui Rêgo Rui Manuel Castanheira do Rêgo (born 5 July 1980 in Mujães, Viana do Castelo) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes ...
(born 1980) a former football goalkeeper with 538 club caps. * Rodrigo Ribeiro (born 2005) a footballer * Nuno Santos (born 1980) a former footballer with 389 club caps * Chico Silva (born 1967) a former footballer who played for S.C. Braga * Tomás Silva (born 1999) a footballer * Analídia Torre (born 1976) a former long-distance runner, specialized in cross-country running. * Francisco Trincão (born 1999) footballer for
Sporting CP Sporting Clube de Portugal (), otherwise referred to as Sporting CP or simply Sporting (particularly within Portugal), or as Sporting Lisbon in other countries,
with 7 caps for Portugal


International relations

Viana do Castelo is twinned with: *
Alagoas Alagoas () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is ...
, Brazil * Aveiro, Portugal *
Cabedelo Cabedelo is a municipality of the Metropolitan Region of João Pessoa, in the state of Paraíba in the Northeast Region of Brazil. It has an area of 29,873 square kilometers, with singular measures: 18 kilometers long and only three kilometers ...
, Brazil *
Hendaye Hendaye (; Basque: ''Hendaia'',HENDAIA
Igarassu, Brazil *
Itajaí Itajaí () is a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It is located on the northern central coast of Santa Catarina and is part of the Vale do Itajaí Mesoregion, on the right bank of the Itajaí-Açu river mouth. It lies at th ...
, Brazil *
Lancaster Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...
, England *
Lugo Lugo (, ) is a city in northwestern Spain in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. It is the capital of the Lugo (province), province of Lugo. The municipality had a population of 100,060 in 2024, ...
, Spain *
Matola Matola is the largest suburb of the Mozambique capital, Maputo, adjacent to its westernmost side. It is the nation's most populated city. Matola is the capital of Maputo Province and has had its own elected municipal government since 1998. It ...
, Mozambique *
Pessac Pessac (; ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a member of the metropolis of Bordeaux, being the second-largest suburb of Bordeaux and located just southwest of it. Pessac is also home to ...
, France *
Porto Seguro Porto Seguro (, Safe Harbor in English), is a city located in the far south of Bahia, Brazil. The city has an estimated population of 150,658 (2020), covers , and has a population density of 52.7 residents per square kilometer. The area that inc ...
, Brazil *
Ribeira Grande Ribeira Grande may refer to the following places: Cape Verde * Ribeira Grande (stream), a stream on the island of Santo Antão * Ribeira Grande, Cape Verde, a town on the island of Santo Antão * Ribeira Grande, Cape Verde (municipality), a municip ...
, Cape Verde *
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
, Brazil *
Riom Riom (; Auvergnat ''Riam'') is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. History Until the French Revolution, Riom was the capital of the province of Auvergne, and the ...
, France * Viana, Brazil


Gallery

File:Viana do Castelo (10638219126).jpg, Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus File:Viana do Castelo (10637953793).jpg, City view from the top of the sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus File:Viana do Castelo (10638203985).jpg, Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus File:Viana do Castelo - Portugal 01.JPG, Monument to the 25th of April File:Viana do Castelo (6103772777).jpg, Viana do Castelo, Portugal File:VianaPT HPIM8295 (2961412680).jpg, Viana do Castelo, Portugal File:VianaPT HPIM8299 (2961414324).jpg, Viana do Castelo, Portugal File:VianaPT HPIM8376 (2961439444).jpg, Viana do Castelo, Portugal File:Viana do Castelo at night (5708533558).jpg, Viana do Castelo, Portugal File:VianaPT HPIM8318 (2961420770).jpg, Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War) File:Viana do Castelo 4.JPG, Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War) File:Monte de Santa Luzia basilica from Viana do Castela (5707961821).jpg, Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War) File:Viana do Castelo - panoramio (43).jpg, Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra (Avenue of Combatants of the Great War) File:Viana do Castelo - panoramio (27).jpg, Viana do Castelo, Portugal


References


External links


Viana do Castelo - A Healthy City - Youtube video

Photos from Viana do Castelo

O blog de Viana do Castelo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Viana Do Castelo Municipality Cities in Portugal Municipalities of Viana do Castelo District Minho Port cities and towns in Portugal