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Bragança (Portugal)
Encyclopedia
Bragança is a city and municipality in north-eastern Portugal
, capital of district of Bragança, in Alto Trás-os-Montes
subregion of Portugal. In 2001, the population of the municipality was 34,774, in an area of 1173.57 km².
. During the Neolithic
there was a growth of productive human settlements which concentrated on planting and domestication of animals, with the beginnings of a nascent religion. There are many vestiges of these ancient communities, including ceramics, agricultural implements, weights, arrowheads and modest jewellry, all forged from rock. Many of these artefacts were found in funerary mounds, such as the tumulus
of Donai (mostly destroyed). There are many signs of megalthic constructions dotted throughout the region. It is believed that the larger proto-historic communities developed in Terra Fria, probably in the final part of the Bronze Age
(1000-700 B.C.). During this period, the Castro culture
of fortified urban structures resulted in walled settlements, situated in elevated areas with a panoramic view, for defense. These communities were essentially survived on subsistence agriculture.
Roman colonization, which occurred late in the Roman era, resulted in the establishment of private property and movement away from the forests, in addition to organizational changes resulting administrative, material and cultural evolution. Remants of the Luso-Roman castro societies are evident in Castro of Sacóias and the Castro of Avelãs. In these excavations, modern archaeologists have discovered funerary remains, coins and implements. The Castro of Avelãs (about three kilometres from Bragança) was an important centre on the military road to Astorga, although there are many examples (in Alfaião, Aveleda, Carrazedo, Castro de Avelãs, Donai, França, Gostei, Meixedo, Pinela, Quintela Lampaças, etc.) of the Roman presence. The area was dominated by two ethnic communities: the Zoelae, with their seat in Castro de Avelãs, and a Lusitania
n civitas
under the stewardship of the Baniense in the southern part of the district. A Latin map, Atlas de Gotha by Justus Perthes, mentioned three settlements within this region: Aquae Flaviae
(Chaves), Veniatia (Vinhais) and Zoelae
(its seat in Zoelas, today Castro de Avelãs) without mentioning any reference to a name similar to Bragança. During Roman colonization, it was part of Gallaecia
and dependent administratively on Astorga, on the Atlantic axis of a Roman highway from Meseta, that controlled the gold, iron and silver trade. The references to a settlement with the name similar to Bragança occurred in the acts of Council Lugo (569 A.D.) regarding the Vergancia. A similar reference by Wamba (666 B.C.) referred to Bregancia, and where, supposedly two Christian martyrs (John and Paul) were born.
Records during the proto-Germanic Suebi
c Kingdom and Visigothic rule are rare, but tend to presuppose an advancement of rural agrarian and pastoral communities during their occupation. Toponomic references such as Gimonde, Guadramil and Samil are the few remains from this period.
, the region was quickly integrated into the Kingdom of Asturias
(later León
after the 10th century), and the economy, ecclesiastical organization, architecture, culture and language was heavily influenced by the same.
During the 11th and 12th century, in the books of genealogy, the Bragançãos family of Castro de Avelãs
(at the time the seat of the Benedictine monastery) dominated Bragança, its abbot
Mendo Alãm, who later married Princess Ardzrouri of Armenia
(who passed through the region on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
, originated the hereditary line. Legend holds that Fernão Mendes (a Braganção) presumably kidnapped, then married, Sancha, daughter of Afonso Henriques and Teresa, obtaining with his dead the important defense of the region. Fernão Mendes and Sancha would find the ruins of the ancient village and rebuilt from the ground in the Realenga das Terras da Bragança. Historically, Fernão Mendes was later referred to as the Brave for his gallantry during the Battle of Ourique
. Yet, later, the region of Bragança would become a property of the Crown as no heir would develop from their union. The Bragançãos contributed to the foundation of the settlement, and its importance would remain integral to the defense of the country, owing to the geopolitical position in the northwest frontier with the Spanish Kingdoms of León and Castile. By the seventh generation, around 1258, the Bragançãos lose their hereditary title, and Afonso III transfer the title to Nuno Martins a descendent of the line.
The origin of the city of Bragança dates from the 10th or 11th century, and likely developed from a Romanized castro, although archaeological evidence is still under-discovered. The strategic importance of Bragança, to military control of access, resulted from its localization and was reinforced by administrative institutions established by the King. Sancho
signed a foral
in June 1187, which was renovated by King Afonso III
, in May 1253, and later by Manuel I
on 11 November 1514. The foral demonstrated specifically the importance of the city, which was the first in the Trás-os-Montes to receive the title of town. In his proclamation, Afonso III specified that the municipality of Bragança pertained to the Church of Braganza, and not the crown, and that its represents should motivate the settlement of all unpopulated lands. This conflicted with the Military Orders and administration of the Monastery of Castro de Avelãs, who believed that they had the right to settle all villages and use the land as they willed. The privileges that were conceded to the nascent Portuguese population by various monarchs outlines the geographic importance of attracting settlement to the northern frontier: Afonso III
created an annual fair in 1272 and Fernando
establishes a free-trade fair in 1383, which was renovated or reformulated by successive monarchs (John I
in 1392 and 1413, the Regent Peter in 1439 and Afonso V
in 1455). This initiatives, although tempered by cyclical migration and epidemics, permitted the concentration of settlers in the northern community.
During the 14th century, wars with Castile result in the destruction of the frontier settlements and Castellian
troops take the city of Bragança. In 1381, the region is once again devastated militarily, resulting in famine, epidemics, infant mortality rates, the abandonment of lands, resulting in an 83% drop in the population. In 1387, the Duke of Lancaster
and Constance sign the Treaty of Babe, that recognized John I
's title and rights to Portugal and the Algarve (then already acclaimed in the Portugese Cortes and married to Philippa of Lancaster
). But in 1396, John returned to Bragança to curb Castillian aggression, taking the titles from Afonso Pimental (who was an ally of Castile) and delivering into to his illegitimate son's hands Afonso
(donated in 1401 by Regent Peter), who he charged with reinforcing the border and elaborating the defenses of the castle. John then bound the frontier region to the Crown with a marriage of his son to Beatriz, daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira
in order to strengthen the ties of the fledgling crown to the land.
In 1442, King Afonso V
established the hereditary dukedom of the Duchy of Braganza
, for his uncle Afonso, Count of Barcelos, becoming one of the oldest fiefdoms in Portugal. The second Duke of Braganza, Fernando, reinforced his grandfather
's frontier strategy and expanded his territory by integrating the lands of his deceased brother Afonso, Marquis of Valença
. Ferdinand supported King Afonso V of Portugal
, and during his North African campaigns, became the Governor of Ceuta
. Ferdinand was responsible for ensuring the elevation of Braganza to the status of city (on 20 February 1464), and was Regent when Afonso V returned to North Africa. But his conspiracies and court intrigues during the reign of King John II
would have him condemned to death, the banning of the House of Braganza
and the incorporation of their hereditary lands and titles into the Crown. The lands remained in the hands of the Crown until the reign of Ferdinand of Portugal
, when they were offered as a dowry to João Monso Pimentel on his marriage to Joana Teles de Menezes, the illegitimate daughter of Queen Leonor Telles de Menezes
.
King Manuel I
reinstated the Braganzas on 18 June 1496, but forced their heirs to expel the Jews from Bragança, resulting in the departure of hundreds of the inhabitants that had supported and promoted town. Those that did not convert to Christianity left Portugal (with their money, contacts, knowledge, merchant experience), including Oróbio de Castro (who became a leader in the Amsterdam synagogue) and Jacob Castro Sarmento who was an important figure in England and Scotland, professor at the University of Aberdeen.
In the 14th and 15th century, growth outside the city of Bragança developed, and in the proceeding centuries there were major renovations and remodelling to the churches, convents and noble estates within the municipality. Many of street names from Bragança also show a rapid industrialization and commercialization in the community, with the appearances of street names such as Rua dos Prateiros (silver-smiths), Rua dos Sineiros (bell-makers), Rua dos Oleiros (oil fabricators), Rua da Alfândega (customshouse), Ponte das Tenarias (tanners), Ponte das Ferrarias (blacksmiths), that directed their exports to the regional market. This dynamic environment was facilitated by Jews who escaped the Inquisition
in Castile during the 15th century, and who stimulated the commercial, artisanal and cereal markets in the region.
Since 1640, the city has been important as the seat of the House of Braganza
, responsible for providing Portugal its Kings (from 1640 to 1910) and the Emperors (from 1822 to 1889); their feudal castle (built 1187) still remains. After a period of 60 year, the Portuguese were able to end the Iberian Union
with Spain, and on 1 December 1640, independence was restored, allowing the ascension of the 8th Duke of Braganza (then military governor of Portugal), John IV
.
But by the 18th century there contrasts, marked by several crises and failures associated with tentative industrialization. Problems with agriculture in the beginning of the 1800s would also occur just when industrialists began abandoning the city of Bragança. Since then, the economy of the region has wavered through boom-and-bust cycles, stimulated by some national initiatives.
, 515 km from Lisbon
and 22 km from the Spanish border.
, established in 1979 to safeguard the distinct elements of the region. The creation of this ecoregion was made to preserve the existing qualities and allow human/culutral interaction. Montesinho is classified into forests and woods (oak and chestnut plantations at the base of the Coroa Mountains, the Tuela and lower Baceiro Rivers); wood and pine forests (forests and shrub vegatation in the western and eastern Rio Maças, Aveleda, Portelo/Montesinho, Mofreito/Montouto, Pinheiros, Serrea da Coroa, Vilar Seco da Lomba); a sub-Atlantic mixed farming area (around the Tuela and Baceiro Rivers); open space that allow farming along the plateaus of Baçal, Aveleda, Onor, Deilão); and the granite mountains of oak and birch species, mainly within the park and Pinheiros area.
Of the 18 Portuguese historical district capitals, Bragança is the farthest from Lisbon
, the national capital.
The seat of the municipality is the city of Bragança, which consists of two parishes (Sé
, 10,129 residents, and Santa Maria
, 3900 inhabitants) and has a population of approximately 14,029. In the hierarchy of Portuguese urban communities, Bragança is only second to Chaves in the sub-region of the Alto Trás-os-Montes. Historically, the municipality has seen a demographic evolution. Between 1911 and 1991, there has been a 6.80% (1655 inhabitant) increase, mitigated by annual changes that both saw growth and decreases. For example, between 1981 and 1991 there was a exodus from the interior of the region of young people, resulting in a drop of population and birth rates (which only helped the coastal communities of Portugal). The city of Bragança has generally seen positive growth, being the capital of the region, and attracting a more youthful component. Sé and Santa Maria, the two primarily urban parishes, benefited directly from this, becoming the dynamic engine of growth in the territory, and developing into a pole in the interior northeast.
Bragança pertains to an area referred to as the Terra Fria Transmontana (Cold Transmontana Lands). Within the NUTS nomenclature, Bragança is part of the Alto Trás-os-Montes
subregion, along with three other municipalities. Its connection to this region are formalized within various associations, including the Associação de Municípios de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Municipal Association of Tr´s-os Montes and Alto Douro), as part of the Associação de Municípios da Terra Fria (constituted by the municipalities of Bragança, Vinhais, Vimioso and Miranda do Douro
), the Associação Comercial e Industrial de Bragança (Commercial Association of Bragança), the district Núcleo Empresarial do Distrito de Bragança (Business Nucleus of the District of Bragança)), the Região de Turismo do Nordeste Transmontano (Tourist Region of Nordeste Transmontano) and the Parque Natural de Montesinho (Montesinho Natural Park
). Bragança is also affiliated with the Associação do Pacto do Eixo Atlântico, along with 17 municipalities in the northwest peninsula, whose objective is to implement policy that strategically support socio-economic and socio-cultural objectives of the communities along the Portuguese-Spanish border region with Galicia. This is an important political relationship since 1999, as Bragança is of significant size to motivate economic activity in the northern portion of the Iberian Peninsula
. Its peripheral place in the urban hierarchy of Portugal has contributed to the political, administrative and populational concentration of many regional and national associations, administrative delegations and regional directorates
The neighbouring municipalities are Vimioso
in the southeast, Macedo de Cavaleiros
in the southwest and Vinhais
in the west.
It is administratively divided into 49 civil parishes, of which included are:
with: Zamora
, Castile and León
, Spain
(1984); León
, Castile and León
, Spain
.
Bragança is an anchor of the regional economy, resisting the desertification of the hinterland, and concentrating public sector administration in the region. In Bragança, approximately 16% of the population is envolved in the secondary industrial sector, while 60% are associated with the tertiary service sector, alluding to a problem in attracting investments in the secondary sector. Employment is primarily driven by the tertiary sector, including commerce, restaurants and hotels, but also civil construction (which is the second largest employer of local residents). Although there has been a positive evolution, industrial activities still remain weak, hindered by the evolution of the market in this region.
Due to its location near the Spanish border, the city receives tourists from Zamora
, León
, Salamanca
, Asturias
and elsewhere.
to Lisbon
(LIS) and Vila Real (VRL). Bragança Airport is located north of the city, in the parish of Aveleda
, accessible by taxi or bus route. The aerodrome was expanded and the runway enlarged, including new navigational systems, new lighting and support facilities, in order to increase mid-size aircraft to be on par with other European regional airports.
Bragança is one of the two (along with Viseu
) district capitals without a rail service in Portugal.
There are three main accessways within the municipality: the IP4, IP2 and the N103 motorways. The principal roadway connecting Bragança and local communities is the IP4: Amarante-Vila Real-Bragança-Quintanilha
, which crosses the municipalities southwest border towards Bragança, before circling the city in the direction of the eastern border with Spain. The ancillary IP2 meets the IP4 around Macedo de Cavaleiros and the N103 crosses from west to east, meeting in Bragança, before continuing as the N218 into Spain. Other roads connect nearby municipalities such as Mirandela
, Penafiel
, in addition to Chaves, Valpaços
and Miranda do Douro
, including the towns of Vinhais
and Vimioso
.
(Portugal's oldest and largest town hall), the Renaissance cathedral, and the old town walls, which are still well preserved and look down on the river and the modern city.
institute): the Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB). Since its formation in 1986, there has been a significant growth in enrollment (200, 4000 and 4731,in the 1986-87, 1998–99 and 1999-2000 school years, respectively). The remaining higher-education enrollees are dispersed at the Instituto Superior de Línguas e Administração (Superior Institute of Languages and Administration and Escola Superior de Enfermagem (Superior School of Nursing). Other institutions of education include 4650 students enrolled in secondary and junior high schools, 874 in technical/professional schools, 2868 in primary schools and 614 in pre-school programs.
In many villages there are not enough children to maintain the rural schools, which are gradually being closed by the government.
.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, capital of district of Bragança, in Alto Trás-os-Montes
Alto Trás-os-Montes
Alto Trás-os-Montes often regered as Nordeste Transmontano is one of the largest Portuguese NUTS-level 3 subregion integrated in the Norte Region...
subregion of Portugal. In 2001, the population of the municipality was 34,774, in an area of 1173.57 km².
History
Archeological evidence permits a determination of human settlement in this region to the PaleolithicPaleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
. During the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
there was a growth of productive human settlements which concentrated on planting and domestication of animals, with the beginnings of a nascent religion. There are many vestiges of these ancient communities, including ceramics, agricultural implements, weights, arrowheads and modest jewellry, all forged from rock. Many of these artefacts were found in funerary mounds, such as the tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
of Donai (mostly destroyed). There are many signs of megalthic constructions dotted throughout the region. It is believed that the larger proto-historic communities developed in Terra Fria, probably in the final part of the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
(1000-700 B.C.). During this period, the Castro culture
Castro culture
Castro culture is the archaeological term for naming the Celtic archaeological culture of the northwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula from the end of the Bronze Age until it was subsumed in local Roman culture...
of fortified urban structures resulted in walled settlements, situated in elevated areas with a panoramic view, for defense. These communities were essentially survived on subsistence agriculture.
Roman colonization, which occurred late in the Roman era, resulted in the establishment of private property and movement away from the forests, in addition to organizational changes resulting administrative, material and cultural evolution. Remants of the Luso-Roman castro societies are evident in Castro of Sacóias and the Castro of Avelãs. In these excavations, modern archaeologists have discovered funerary remains, coins and implements. The Castro of Avelãs (about three kilometres from Bragança) was an important centre on the military road to Astorga, although there are many examples (in Alfaião, Aveleda, Carrazedo, Castro de Avelãs, Donai, França, Gostei, Meixedo, Pinela, Quintela Lampaças, etc.) of the Roman presence. The area was dominated by two ethnic communities: the Zoelae, with their seat in Castro de Avelãs, and a Lusitania
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
n civitas
Civitas
In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
under the stewardship of the Baniense in the southern part of the district. A Latin map, Atlas de Gotha by Justus Perthes, mentioned three settlements within this region: Aquae Flaviae
Aquae Flaviae
Aquæ Flaviæ is the ancient Roman name for the current city of Chaves, Portugal.-Pre-roman ocupation:The city was a center of pre-roman occupation, being the main town of the Turodi people.-Roman domain:...
(Chaves), Veniatia (Vinhais) and Zoelae
Zoelae
The Zoelae were an ancient Celtic tribe of Gallaecia, living in the north of modern Portugal, in the province of Trás-os-Montes, between the mountains of Serra da Nogueira and the mountains of Mogadouro.-External links:*...
(its seat in Zoelas, today Castro de Avelãs) without mentioning any reference to a name similar to Bragança. During Roman colonization, it was part of Gallaecia
Gallaecia
Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province and an early Mediaeval kingdom that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania...
and dependent administratively on Astorga, on the Atlantic axis of a Roman highway from Meseta, that controlled the gold, iron and silver trade. The references to a settlement with the name similar to Bragança occurred in the acts of Council Lugo (569 A.D.) regarding the Vergancia. A similar reference by Wamba (666 B.C.) referred to Bregancia, and where, supposedly two Christian martyrs (John and Paul) were born.
Records during the proto-Germanic Suebi
Suebi
The Suebi or Suevi were a group of Germanic peoples who were first mentioned by Julius Caesar in connection with Ariovistus' campaign, c...
c Kingdom and Visigothic rule are rare, but tend to presuppose an advancement of rural agrarian and pastoral communities during their occupation. Toponomic references such as Gimonde, Guadramil and Samil are the few remains from this period.
Medieval
Although place names still remain (such as Alfaião, Babe, Baçal, Bagueixe, Mogadouro, among others) the influence of the Islamic civilization to the northern regions and Douro (as well as mountainous enclaves) has been little, except for a passing reference to a Pelagius Count of Bragança during the Council of Oviedo (in 970). Owing to the ReconquistaReconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
, the region was quickly integrated into the Kingdom of Asturias
Kingdom of Asturias
The Kingdom of Asturias was a Kingdom in the Iberian peninsula founded in 718 by Visigothic nobles under the leadership of Pelagius of Asturias. It was the first Christian political entity established following the collapse of the Visigothic kingdom after Islamic conquest of Hispania...
(later León
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
after the 10th century), and the economy, ecclesiastical organization, architecture, culture and language was heavily influenced by the same.
During the 11th and 12th century, in the books of genealogy, the Bragançãos family of Castro de Avelãs
Castro de Avelãs
Castro de Avelãs is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 483, its density is 34.8/km² and the area is 13.87 km²....
(at the time the seat of the Benedictine monastery) dominated Bragança, its abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
Mendo Alãm, who later married Princess Ardzrouri of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
(who passed through the region on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
, originated the hereditary line. Legend holds that Fernão Mendes (a Braganção) presumably kidnapped, then married, Sancha, daughter of Afonso Henriques and Teresa, obtaining with his dead the important defense of the region. Fernão Mendes and Sancha would find the ruins of the ancient village and rebuilt from the ground in the Realenga das Terras da Bragança. Historically, Fernão Mendes was later referred to as the Brave for his gallantry during the Battle of Ourique
Battle of Ourique
The Battle of Ourique saw the forces of Portuguese Prince Afonso Henriques defeat the Almoravid Moors led by Ali ibn Yusuf.-Background:...
. Yet, later, the region of Bragança would become a property of the Crown as no heir would develop from their union. The Bragançãos contributed to the foundation of the settlement, and its importance would remain integral to the defense of the country, owing to the geopolitical position in the northwest frontier with the Spanish Kingdoms of León and Castile. By the seventh generation, around 1258, the Bragançãos lose their hereditary title, and Afonso III transfer the title to Nuno Martins a descendent of the line.
The origin of the city of Bragança dates from the 10th or 11th century, and likely developed from a Romanized castro, although archaeological evidence is still under-discovered. The strategic importance of Bragança, to military control of access, resulted from its localization and was reinforced by administrative institutions established by the King. Sancho
Sancho I of Portugal
Sancho I , nicknamed the Populator , second monarch of Portugal, was born on 11 November 1154 in Coimbra and died on 26 March 1212 in the same city. He was the second but only surviving legitimate son and fourth child of Afonso I of Portugal by his wife, Maud of Savoy. Sancho succeeded his father...
signed a foral
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
in June 1187, which was renovated by King Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
, in May 1253, and later by Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
on 11 November 1514. The foral demonstrated specifically the importance of the city, which was the first in the Trás-os-Montes to receive the title of town. In his proclamation, Afonso III specified that the municipality of Bragança pertained to the Church of Braganza, and not the crown, and that its represents should motivate the settlement of all unpopulated lands. This conflicted with the Military Orders and administration of the Monastery of Castro de Avelãs, who believed that they had the right to settle all villages and use the land as they willed. The privileges that were conceded to the nascent Portuguese population by various monarchs outlines the geographic importance of attracting settlement to the northern frontier: Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
created an annual fair in 1272 and Fernando
Ferdinand I of Portugal
Ferdinand I , sometimes referred to as the Handsome or rarely as the Inconstant , was the ninth King of Portugal and the Algarve, the second son of Peter I and his wife, Constance of Castile...
establishes a free-trade fair in 1383, which was renovated or reformulated by successive monarchs (John I
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
in 1392 and 1413, the Regent Peter in 1439 and Afonso V
Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
in 1455). This initiatives, although tempered by cyclical migration and epidemics, permitted the concentration of settlers in the northern community.
During the 14th century, wars with Castile result in the destruction of the frontier settlements and Castellian
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
troops take the city of Bragança. In 1381, the region is once again devastated militarily, resulting in famine, epidemics, infant mortality rates, the abandonment of lands, resulting in an 83% drop in the population. In 1387, the Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
and Constance sign the Treaty of Babe, that recognized John I
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
's title and rights to Portugal and the Algarve (then already acclaimed in the Portugese Cortes and married to Philippa of Lancaster
Philippa of Lancaster
Philippa of Lancaster, LG was a Queen consort of Portugal. Born into the royal family of England, her marriage with King John I secured the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance and produced several famous children who became known as the "Illustrious Generation" in Portugal...
). But in 1396, John returned to Bragança to curb Castillian aggression, taking the titles from Afonso Pimental (who was an ally of Castile) and delivering into to his illegitimate son's hands Afonso
Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza
Dom Afonso I, the 1st Duke of Braganza was the eighth Count of Barcelos, the 2nd Count of Neiva, 2nd Lord of Faria and the first Duke of Braganza.-Origins:...
(donated in 1401 by Regent Peter), who he charged with reinforcing the border and elaborating the defenses of the castle. John then bound the frontier region to the Crown with a marriage of his son to Beatriz, daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira
Nuno Álvares Pereira
Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira, O. Carm. , also spelled Nun'Álvares Pereira, was a Portuguese general of great success who had a decisive role in the 1383-1385 Crisis that assured Portugal's independence from Castile...
in order to strengthen the ties of the fledgling crown to the land.
Monarchy
By the middle of the 13th century, Bragança was divided into four parishes: Santa Maria (then the main town), São Tiago, São João (outside the castle walls) and São Vicente.In 1442, King Afonso V
Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
established the hereditary dukedom of the Duchy of Braganza
Duchy of Braganza
The Duchy of Braganza, in Portuguese: Ducado de Bragança, has been the fief of an important Portuguese noble family: the House of Braganza, and is one of the most important Dukedoms of Portugal...
, for his uncle Afonso, Count of Barcelos, becoming one of the oldest fiefdoms in Portugal. The second Duke of Braganza, Fernando, reinforced his grandfather
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
's frontier strategy and expanded his territory by integrating the lands of his deceased brother Afonso, Marquis of Valença
Afonso, Marquis of Valença
Alphonse of Braganza was the older son of Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza and of his wife, Beatriz Pereira Alvim ....
. Ferdinand supported King Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
, and during his North African campaigns, became the Governor of Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
. Ferdinand was responsible for ensuring the elevation of Braganza to the status of city (on 20 February 1464), and was Regent when Afonso V returned to North Africa. But his conspiracies and court intrigues during the reign of King John II
John II of Portugal
John II , the Perfect Prince , was the thirteenth king of Portugal and the Algarves...
would have him condemned to death, the banning of the House of Braganza
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
and the incorporation of their hereditary lands and titles into the Crown. The lands remained in the hands of the Crown until the reign of Ferdinand of Portugal
Ferdinand I of Portugal
Ferdinand I , sometimes referred to as the Handsome or rarely as the Inconstant , was the ninth King of Portugal and the Algarve, the second son of Peter I and his wife, Constance of Castile...
, when they were offered as a dowry to João Monso Pimentel on his marriage to Joana Teles de Menezes, the illegitimate daughter of Queen Leonor Telles de Menezes
Leonor Telles de Menezes
Leonor Telles de Menezes was a queen consort of Portugal and regent during the years 1383–1385. She was the wife of a Portuguese nobleman from whom she was forcibly divorced by King Ferdinand I, who afterward married her...
.
King Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
reinstated the Braganzas on 18 June 1496, but forced their heirs to expel the Jews from Bragança, resulting in the departure of hundreds of the inhabitants that had supported and promoted town. Those that did not convert to Christianity left Portugal (with their money, contacts, knowledge, merchant experience), including Oróbio de Castro (who became a leader in the Amsterdam synagogue) and Jacob Castro Sarmento who was an important figure in England and Scotland, professor at the University of Aberdeen.
In the 14th and 15th century, growth outside the city of Bragança developed, and in the proceeding centuries there were major renovations and remodelling to the churches, convents and noble estates within the municipality. Many of street names from Bragança also show a rapid industrialization and commercialization in the community, with the appearances of street names such as Rua dos Prateiros (silver-smiths), Rua dos Sineiros (bell-makers), Rua dos Oleiros (oil fabricators), Rua da Alfândega (customshouse), Ponte das Tenarias (tanners), Ponte das Ferrarias (blacksmiths), that directed their exports to the regional market. This dynamic environment was facilitated by Jews who escaped the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
in Castile during the 15th century, and who stimulated the commercial, artisanal and cereal markets in the region.
Since 1640, the city has been important as the seat of the House of Braganza
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
, responsible for providing Portugal its Kings (from 1640 to 1910) and the Emperors (from 1822 to 1889); their feudal castle (built 1187) still remains. After a period of 60 year, the Portuguese were able to end the Iberian Union
Iberian Union
The Iberian union was a political unit that governed all of the Iberian Peninsula south of the Pyrenees from 1580–1640, through a dynastic union between the monarchies of Portugal and Spain after the War of the Portuguese Succession...
with Spain, and on 1 December 1640, independence was restored, allowing the ascension of the 8th Duke of Braganza (then military governor of Portugal), John IV
John IV of Portugal
|-|John IV was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer...
.
But by the 18th century there contrasts, marked by several crises and failures associated with tentative industrialization. Problems with agriculture in the beginning of the 1800s would also occur just when industrialists began abandoning the city of Bragança. Since then, the economy of the region has wavered through boom-and-bust cycles, stimulated by some national initiatives.
Physical geography
Bragança lies on a branch of the Sabor River south of the Culebra Mountains, 255 km northeast of PortoPorto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, 515 km from Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and 22 km from the Spanish border.
Ecoregions/Protected areas
The municipality of Bragança is part of the frontier of the Montesinho Natural ParkMontesinho Natural Park
The Montesinho Natural Park is a protected area located in the municipalities of Vinhais and Bragança, northeastern Portugal. Sections of the southern slopes of the Serra da Coroa fall within the park....
, established in 1979 to safeguard the distinct elements of the region. The creation of this ecoregion was made to preserve the existing qualities and allow human/culutral interaction. Montesinho is classified into forests and woods (oak and chestnut plantations at the base of the Coroa Mountains, the Tuela and lower Baceiro Rivers); wood and pine forests (forests and shrub vegatation in the western and eastern Rio Maças, Aveleda, Portelo/Montesinho, Mofreito/Montouto, Pinheiros, Serrea da Coroa, Vilar Seco da Lomba); a sub-Atlantic mixed farming area (around the Tuela and Baceiro Rivers); open space that allow farming along the plateaus of Baçal, Aveleda, Onor, Deilão); and the granite mountains of oak and birch species, mainly within the park and Pinheiros area.
Climate
The climate in Bragança (the northeastern most district capital Portuguese city) is influenced by the distance from the coast and the elevation. It is very similar to the continental climate of the Spanish Meseta and other European regions removed from the influence of the ocean, which means long rigorous winters (even by European standards) and short hot summers. Snow in winter is very common and can last for several days. The high in January is around 9 °C (48 °F) while the August and July high is around 29 °C (84 °F). The January low hovers around the freezing point. It has been known to snow in May, and winter temperatures can fall to as low as -18 °C. The annual mean is around 12 °C (54 °F). The mean total rainfall in a year is 689 mm. The year of 2005 was particularly dry in Portugal and Bragança suffered water shortages and devastating forest fires in the rural areas.Human geography
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, the national capital.
The seat of the municipality is the city of Bragança, which consists of two parishes (Sé
Sé (Bragança)
Sé is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. As of 2001, the population is 16,594, its density is 1,650/km² and the area is 10.06 km².-Heritage:*Bragança Castle*Pelourinho de Bragança*Domus Municipalis...
, 10,129 residents, and Santa Maria
Santa Maria (Bragança)
Santa Maria is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 3,404, with a population density of 241.2/km² and an area of 14.11 km²....
, 3900 inhabitants) and has a population of approximately 14,029. In the hierarchy of Portuguese urban communities, Bragança is only second to Chaves in the sub-region of the Alto Trás-os-Montes. Historically, the municipality has seen a demographic evolution. Between 1911 and 1991, there has been a 6.80% (1655 inhabitant) increase, mitigated by annual changes that both saw growth and decreases. For example, between 1981 and 1991 there was a exodus from the interior of the region of young people, resulting in a drop of population and birth rates (which only helped the coastal communities of Portugal). The city of Bragança has generally seen positive growth, being the capital of the region, and attracting a more youthful component. Sé and Santa Maria, the two primarily urban parishes, benefited directly from this, becoming the dynamic engine of growth in the territory, and developing into a pole in the interior northeast.
Bragança pertains to an area referred to as the Terra Fria Transmontana (Cold Transmontana Lands). Within the NUTS nomenclature, Bragança is part of the Alto Trás-os-Montes
Alto Trás-os-Montes
Alto Trás-os-Montes often regered as Nordeste Transmontano is one of the largest Portuguese NUTS-level 3 subregion integrated in the Norte Region...
subregion, along with three other municipalities. Its connection to this region are formalized within various associations, including the Associação de Municípios de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Municipal Association of Tr´s-os Montes and Alto Douro), as part of the Associação de Municípios da Terra Fria (constituted by the municipalities of Bragança, Vinhais, Vimioso and Miranda do Douro
Miranda do Douro Municipality
Miranda do Douro is a municipality covering an area of 487.17 km², with a population of approximately 7,707 inhabitants in the northeast corner of Portugal. Referred to as the "Cidade Museu" of the Trás-os-Montes region, it is located 86 kilometres from the district capital, preserving many...
), the Associação Comercial e Industrial de Bragança (Commercial Association of Bragança), the district Núcleo Empresarial do Distrito de Bragança (Business Nucleus of the District of Bragança)), the Região de Turismo do Nordeste Transmontano (Tourist Region of Nordeste Transmontano) and the Parque Natural de Montesinho (Montesinho Natural Park
Montesinho Natural Park
The Montesinho Natural Park is a protected area located in the municipalities of Vinhais and Bragança, northeastern Portugal. Sections of the southern slopes of the Serra da Coroa fall within the park....
). Bragança is also affiliated with the Associação do Pacto do Eixo Atlântico, along with 17 municipalities in the northwest peninsula, whose objective is to implement policy that strategically support socio-economic and socio-cultural objectives of the communities along the Portuguese-Spanish border region with Galicia. This is an important political relationship since 1999, as Bragança is of significant size to motivate economic activity in the northern portion of the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. Its peripheral place in the urban hierarchy of Portugal has contributed to the political, administrative and populational concentration of many regional and national associations, administrative delegations and regional directorates
The neighbouring municipalities are Vimioso
Vimioso
Vimioso is a municipality in the northern part of Portugal with an area of approximately 481.6 km² and population of 5105 inhabitants.-Geography:The municipality is composed of 14 parishes and is located in the district of Bragança....
in the southeast, Macedo de Cavaleiros
Macedo de Cavaleiros
Macedo de Cavaleiros is a municipality in northeastern Portugal, in Bragança District.-History:During antiquity, the region was occupied by the Celts, then Romans and finally the Arab forces of the Umayyad Caliphate, who dominated the region until the Christian Reconquista...
in the southwest and Vinhais
Vinhais
Vinhais is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 694.9 km² and a total population of 10,051 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 35 parishes and is located in the district of Bragança....
in the west.
It is administratively divided into 49 civil parishes, of which included are:
- AlfaiãoAlfaiãoAlfaião is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Bragança. In 2001, its population was 173, in a wedge-shaped territory of 17.58 km² .-History:...
- AveledaAveleda (Bragança)Aveleda is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 253 inhabitants, in an area of 62.2 km² along the northern border of Portugal.-History:...
- BabeBabe (Bragança)Babe is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Bragança. In 2001 this hilltop parish had less than 396 inhabitants, in an area of 25.61 km² Babe is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Bragança. In 2001 this hilltop parish had less than 396 inhabitants, in an area of 25.61...
- BaçalBaçalBaçal is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 470, its density is 19/km² and the area is 24.76 km²...
- CalvelheCalvelheCalvelhe is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 137, its density is 5.9/km² and the area is 23.05 km²....
- CarragosaCarragosaCarragosa is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 260, its density is 9.4/km² and the area is 27.69 km²....
- CarrazedoCarrazedo (Bragança)Carrazedo is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 146, its density is 4.7/km² and the area is 31.30 km²....
- CastrelosCastrelosCastrelos is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 186, its density is 9.4/km² and the area is 19.76 km²....
- Castro de AvelãsCastro de AvelãsCastro de Avelãs is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 483, its density is 34.8/km² and the area is 13.87 km²....
- CoelhosoCoelhosoCoelhoso is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 299, its density is 14.8/km² and the area is 20.23 km²....
- DeilãoDeilãoDeilão is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 219, its density is 5.2/km² and the area is 42.14 km²....
- DonaiDonaiDonai is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 416, its density is 29.9 persons/km² and the area is 13.91 km²....
- EspinhoselaEspinhoselaEspinhosela is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 305. Its density is 8.5/km² and the area is 35.96 km²....
- FaíldeFaíldeFaílde is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 158, its density is 9.9/km² and the area is 15.96 km²....
- FrançaFrança (Bragança)França is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 275, its density is 4.9/km² and the area is 56.16 km²....
- GimondeGimondeGimonde is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 386, its density is 25.3/km² and the area is 15.27 km².-External links:*...
- GondesendeGondesendeGondesende is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 226, its density is 17.7/km² and the area is 12.77 km²....
- GosteiGosteiGostei is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 412, its density is 22.2/km² and the area is 18.55 km²....
- Grijó de ParadaGrijó de ParadaGrijó de Parada is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 380, its density is 12.3/km² and the area is 31.02 km²....
- IzedaIzedaIzeda is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 915, its density is 33.77/km² and the area is 27.1 km²....
- Macedo do MatoMacedo do MatoMacedo do Mato is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 296, its density is 19.2/km² and the area is 15.45 km²....
- MeixedoMeixedo (Bragança)Meixedo is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 188, its density is 16.3/km² and the area is 11.54 km²....
- MilhãoMilhãoMilhão is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. It has an area of 28.21 km², and in 2001 it has a population of 205, giving it a population density of 7.3/km²....
- MósMós (Bragança)Mós is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 194, its density is 16.9/km² and the area is 11.46 km²....
- NogueiraNogueira (Bragança)Nogueira is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 431, its density is 31.6/km² and the area is 13.65 km²....
- OuteiroOuteiro (Bragança)Outeiro is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 367, its density is 9/km² and the area is 40.85 km²....
- ParadaParada (Bragança)Parada is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 604, its density is 16.6/km² and the area is 36.49 km²....
- Paradinha NovaParadinha NovaParadinha Nova is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 150, its density is 9.5/km² and the area is 15.72 km²....
- ParâmioParâmioParâmio is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 281, its density is 11.9/km² and the area is23.66 km²....
- PinelaPinelaPinela is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 244, its density is 11.2/km² and the area is 21.84 km²....
- PombaresPombaresPombares is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 59, its density is 5.4 /km² and the area is 10.96 km²....
- QuintanilhaQuintanilhaQuintanilha is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 304, its density is 12.2/km² and the area is 24.91 km²....
- Quintela de LampaçasQuintela de LampaçasQuintela de Lampaças is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 285, its density is 14.4/km² and the area is 19.75 km²....
- RabalRabal (Portugal)Rabal is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 196, its density is 9.4/km² and the area is 20.94 km²....
- RebordainhosRebordainhosRebordainhos is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 188, in an area 12.53 km² giving a population density of 15/km²....
- RebordãosRebordãosRebordão is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 543, its density is 20.2/km² and the area is 26.83 km²....
- Rio de Onor
- Rio Frio
- Salsas
- Samil
- Santa Comba de Rossas
- Santa Maria (Bragança)
- São Julião de Palácios
- São Pedro de Sarracenos
- Sé (Bragança)
- SendasSendasSendas is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 241, its density is 12.5/km² and the area is 19.23 km²....
- SerapicosSerapicos (Bragança)Serapicos is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 289, its density is 10.2/km² and the area is 28.34 km²....
- SortesSortesSortes is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 320, its density is 14.6/km² and the area is 21.93km²....
- ZoioZoioZoio is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 203, its density is 8.1/km² and the area is 25.18 km²....
International relations
The municipality of Bragança is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Zamora
Zamora, Spain
Zamora is a city in Castile and León, Spain, the capital of the province of Zamora. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest, near the frontier with Portugal and crossed by the Duero river, which is some 50 km downstream as it reaches the Portuguese frontier...
, Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
(1984); León
León, Spain
León is the capital of the province of León in the autonomous community of Castile and León, situated in the northwest of Spain. Its city population of 136,985 makes it the largest municipality in the province, accounting for more than one quarter of the province's population...
, Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Economy
Economically the region still produces olive oil, grains, chestnuts and livestock, especially sheep. In recent years agriculture has suffered a decline with the abandonment of the villages and the aging of the rural population. Bragança is a city of services with a dependence on state-run institutions like the Polytechnical Institute of Bragança and the regional hospital for jobs.Bragança is an anchor of the regional economy, resisting the desertification of the hinterland, and concentrating public sector administration in the region. In Bragança, approximately 16% of the population is envolved in the secondary industrial sector, while 60% are associated with the tertiary service sector, alluding to a problem in attracting investments in the secondary sector. Employment is primarily driven by the tertiary sector, including commerce, restaurants and hotels, but also civil construction (which is the second largest employer of local residents). Although there has been a positive evolution, industrial activities still remain weak, hindered by the evolution of the market in this region.
Due to its location near the Spanish border, the city receives tourists from Zamora
Zamora (province)
Zamora is a Spanish province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.The present-day province of Zamora province was one of three provinces formed from the former Kingdom of León in 1833, when Spain was re-organised into 49 provinces.It is bordered by...
, León
León (province)
León is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.About one quarter of its population of 500,200 lives in the capital, León. The weather is cold and dry during the winter....
, Salamanca
Salamanca (province)
Salamanca is a province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Zamora, Valladolid, Ávila, and Cáceres; and by Portugal....
, Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
and elsewhere.
Transportation
Located eight kilometres from the city centre, the municipal/regional airport (Bragança Airport), with scheduled flights by Aero VIPAero VIP (Portugal)
-History:Aero Vip is a company within the aeronautical market that provides the following services:*Air Transportation *Air Work*Flight Instruction*License Revalidation*Type Rating*Aircraft Rental...
to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
(LIS) and Vila Real (VRL). Bragança Airport is located north of the city, in the parish of Aveleda
Aveleda (Bragança)
Aveleda is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 was 253 inhabitants, in an area of 62.2 km² along the northern border of Portugal.-History:...
, accessible by taxi or bus route. The aerodrome was expanded and the runway enlarged, including new navigational systems, new lighting and support facilities, in order to increase mid-size aircraft to be on par with other European regional airports.
Bragança is one of the two (along with Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
) district capitals without a rail service in Portugal.
There are three main accessways within the municipality: the IP4, IP2 and the N103 motorways. The principal roadway connecting Bragança and local communities is the IP4: Amarante-Vila Real-Bragança-Quintanilha
Quintanilha
Quintanilha is a Portuguese parish in the district of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 304, its density is 12.2/km² and the area is 24.91 km²....
, which crosses the municipalities southwest border towards Bragança, before circling the city in the direction of the eastern border with Spain. The ancillary IP2 meets the IP4 around Macedo de Cavaleiros and the N103 crosses from west to east, meeting in Bragança, before continuing as the N218 into Spain. Other roads connect nearby municipalities such as Mirandela
Mirandela
Mirandela is a city in Mirandela Municipality in northern Portugal. The city itself has a population of about 15 000.Mirandela is famous for its cuisine, particularly the alheiras. Mirandela is becoming a popular tourist destination in northeastern Portugal. One of its four bridges on the Tua...
, Penafiel
Penafiel, Portugal
The city of Penafiel had, as of 2001, a population of 9,343. It is located in Penafiel Municipality, that has 71,801 inhabitants....
, in addition to Chaves, Valpaços
Valpaços
Valpaços is a municipality in northern Portugal with a total area of 548.74 km² and a total population of 19,154 inhabitants.-History:The first documents that cite Valpaços date back to the 12th century...
and Miranda do Douro
Miranda do Douro
Miranda do Douro or Miranda de l Douro , is a city in Miranda do Douro Municipality, district of Bragança, Portugal.The city has a population of 1,960.-General information:...
, including the towns of Vinhais
Vinhais
Vinhais is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 694.9 km² and a total population of 10,051 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 35 parishes and is located in the district of Bragança....
and Vimioso
Vimioso
Vimioso is a municipality in the northern part of Portugal with an area of approximately 481.6 km² and population of 5105 inhabitants.-Geography:The municipality is composed of 14 parishes and is located in the district of Bragança....
.
Architecture
Notable landmarks in the city include the 12th-century Domus MunicipalisDomus Municipalis
The Domus municipalis is a Romanesque building in the northeastern municipality of Bragança in Portugal. It is what exactly was the function of this building, even after research completed in the 20th century: it could have served as cistern, but there are doubts if this was its primary...
(Portugal's oldest and largest town hall), the Renaissance cathedral, and the old town walls, which are still well preserved and look down on the river and the modern city.
Education
The student population of Bragança is heavily concentrated within the city, its population for 1999-2000 was 14,406 registered students. Of this number the largest frequency of students were enrolled in the state-run higher-education technical college (polytechnicPolytechnic (Portugal)
A polytechnic is a higher education educational institution in Portugal created in the 1980s. After 1998 they were upgraded to institutions which are allowed to confer licenciatura degrees. Before then, they only awarded short-cycle degrees which were known as bacharelatos and didn't provide...
institute): the Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB). Since its formation in 1986, there has been a significant growth in enrollment (200, 4000 and 4731,in the 1986-87, 1998–99 and 1999-2000 school years, respectively). The remaining higher-education enrollees are dispersed at the Instituto Superior de Línguas e Administração (Superior Institute of Languages and Administration and Escola Superior de Enfermagem (Superior School of Nursing). Other institutions of education include 4650 students enrolled in secondary and junior high schools, 874 in technical/professional schools, 2868 in primary schools and 614 in pre-school programs.
In many villages there are not enough children to maintain the rural schools, which are gradually being closed by the government.
Religion
Bragança pertains to the Diocese of Bragança/Miranda; under the archdiocese of BragaBraga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
.
Notable citizens
- Mendo Alão (c. 1000; Brittany — c. 1050) - a nobleman and medieval knightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, who lived in Bragança (and friend of King Alfonso VI of León and Castile), clergy at the Monastery of São Salvador in Castro de Avelãs; - Francisco Manuel Alves (Baçal; 9 April 1865 — Baçal, 13 November 1947) - known as the Abade de Baçal (the Abbot of Baçal), was an archeologist and historian;
- Augusto César Moreno (Lagoaça; 10 November 1870 - PortoPortoPorto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, 2 April 1955) - teacher and linguist; - Manuel Gonçalves Cavaleiro de Ferreira (Bragança; 19 December 1911 — LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
; 27 April 1992) - teacher of Law, jurist and Minister of Justice in the government of António de Oliveira SalazarAntónio de Oliveira SalazarAntónio de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
, responsible for the regulation of the Habeous Corpus law and creation of many tribunals.