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Póvoa de Varzim (parish)
Encyclopedia
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...
parish, located in the city of Póvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese city in the Norte Region and sub-region of Greater Porto, with a 2011 estimated population of 63,364. According to the 2001 census, there were 63,470 inhabitants with 42,396 living in the city proper. The urban area expanded, southwards, to Vila do Conde, and there...
. In the census of 2001, it had a population of 27,810 inhabitants and a total area of 5.25 km².
Póvoa de Varzim is the seat of the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, thus is densely populated. Until recently it was the single parish that made up the city. The Varzim part of the name dates to the Roman Era, as it is the evolution of Euracini - a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
; the Póvoa part was added in 1308 when king Denis
Denis of Portugal
Dinis , called the Farmer King , was the sixth King of Portugal and the Algarve. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile and grandson of king Alfonso X of Castile , Dinis succeeded his father in 1279.-Biography:As heir to the throne, Infante Dinis was...
gave 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 ....
(charter) to the town that, at that time, had not even the status of parish, as it was then just a place in the parish of Argivai
Argivai
Argivai is a Portuguese parish located in the city of Póvoa de Varzim. In the census of 2001, it had a population of 2,187 inhabitants and a total area of 2.32 km²....
. The history of this parish is knotted with the history of Póvoa de Varzim proper, see History of Póvoa de Varzim.
Religiously speaking, there is no Póvoa de Varzim parish, it was divided into three parishes in early 20th century, the northern coast (Ribamar - Bairro Norte), southern coast (Lapa - Bairro Sul) and inland (Matriz). There is a small degree of decentralization of the civil parish for each part.
Geography
The area of the parish of Póvoa de Varzim is today practically totally urbanized and completely transformed by man. The former Póvoa Bay (Enseada da Póvoa), is now the sea port of Póvoa de Varzim, former small rivers existed in the city, as some excavations near the Casino suggest.Historically, the city was composed of three neighbourhoods: Bairro da Matriz
Bairro da Matriz
Bairro da Matriz is the historical neighourhood of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim and part of the Matriz/Mariadeira district....
(14th century), Bairro Sul
Bairro Sul
Bairro Sul, literally the South Neighborhood, also known as Lapa, is the fishery district of the city of Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. It is one of the six traditional neirghborhoods of Póvoa de Varzim and one of the eleven parts in which the city is subdivided. The quarter is situated south of...
(17th century) and Bairro Norte
Bairro Norte
Bairro Norte is a quarter and district of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim. it is the most densely populated district of the city, it is also a beach resort. In the 19th century it was known as Bairro de S...
(early 20th century), these are still the most important and the most beloved neighbourhoods by the population, as living in their area is not a requirement to one being considered part of it. Over time, many neighbourhoods started to be created. Obviously, these and others areas had been inhabited from much earlier, but the current city grew through these ones. There were also swamps, one famous one was in Lagoa beach, a beach that still bear the name of the lagoon that once existed there.
Its ocean waters were very popular for talassoterapy until mid-20th century, due to large amounts of algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
and iodine
Iodine
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
.
City districts
The parish of Póvoa de Varzim contains nine of the eleven city districts:- Agro-VelhoAgro-VelhoAgro-Velho or Nova Póvoa is a beach resort district of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim and located around Lagoa Cove...
(south part) - Bairro NorteBairro NorteBairro Norte is a quarter and district of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim. it is the most densely populated district of the city, it is also a beach resort. In the 19th century it was known as Bairro de S...
- Centro
- Bairro SulBairro SulBairro Sul, literally the South Neighborhood, also known as Lapa, is the fishery district of the city of Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. It is one of the six traditional neirghborhoods of Póvoa de Varzim and one of the eleven parts in which the city is subdivided. The quarter is situated south of...
- Parque da CidadeParque da Cidade230px|thumb|View from the city park.Parque da Cidade is a neighourhood of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim. It literally means City Park, as it is were the city's park is located and occupies most of the land area. This part of the city is set in four distinct parishes: Amorim, Aver-o-Mar,...
(a very small part of it, known as MontgeronMontgeronMontgeron is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Montgeron are known as Montgeronnais.-Transport:Montgeron is served by Montgeron – Crosne station on Paris RER line D....
after the sister French town) - BarreirosBarreiros-Portugal:* Barreiros , a civil parish in the municipality of Amares* Barreiros , a civil parish in the municipality of Miranda do Douro* Barreiros , a civil parish in the municipality of Valpaços...
- GiesteiraGiesteiraGiesteira or Bairro de Belém is a neighourhood of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim. It is one of the six traditional neighbourhoods of the city, and one of the eleven city districts...
(part) - GândaraGândaraGândara is a neighourhood of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim.Gândara was since the 16th century until the 19th century, the main reason of disputes between Póvoa de Varzim and Barcelos, as it already had a considerable population. Póvoa de Varzim claimed that its municipality corresponded to...
(west part) - Bairro da MatrizBairro da MatrizBairro da Matriz is the historical neighourhood of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim and part of the Matriz/Mariadeira district....
/Bairro da Mariadeira