Vinhais
Encyclopedia
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
.
The present mayor is Américo Afonso Pereira, elected by the Socialist Party
.
The municipal holiday is May 20.
It is perched on the slopes of the Coroa mountains at an altitude of approximately 600 meters, protected from the cold winds of the north by the Ciradelha mountain, where in remote times there was a Luso-roman castro. On the south side is the Tuela River valley. There are three other rivers in the concelho: the Rabaçal, the Mente, and the Baceiro. They are relatively unpolluted and provide fish for locals and tourists. The Baceiro has a trout hatchery which is deactivated but will be reopened soon.
In the time of the Romans there was a settlement called Veniatia, through which passed the road that linked Braga to Astorga. Suebi
, Visigoths, Vandals
, and Moors
all were present in the region. One of the first kings of Portugal, Sancho II
had a castle and walls built, around which grew a small town soon to be called Vinhaes. This town was nicknamed Rich Town, because of the abundance of its wine, linen, silk, and wool.
Several times occupied by the Castilians
it became part of Portugal again in 1403. In 1659 a Spanish general invaded the region and besieged Vinhais with 1,700 men. The castle resisted and the enemy retreated across the border, burning all the houses outside the walls as well as all the villages they passed through.
After the fall of the monarchy
in 1910, the Royalist rebel Paiva Couceiro entered Vinhais and attacked the Republican forces, defeating them and sending them in retreat to Chaves
Paiva Couceiro's entry into Vinhais was received with joy because this town was still pro-monarchy. Soon, the Provisional Government of the Republic sent 400 soldiers to attack the rebels. After some violent skirmishes the rebels were defeated and forced to surrender. See Royalist attack on Chaves
Today, Vinhais is a small, rather isolated municipality, with an aging rural population. Without industry and with a diminishing population, it relies on tourism, an annual fair specializing in smoked meats, and some agriculture, especially chestnut growing.
The northern part of Vinhais is also part of the Montesinho Natural Park, with a significant interest on the rural and agricultural kind of life and wild life preservation. Among the protected species are the Iberian Wolf, Roe Deer, Wild Boar, Iberian Lynx, Common Genet, Red Fox and European Otter. To accomplish a better understanding of the wild life, there is now a Biological Park (Parque Biológico de Vinhais) in the Ciradelha Mountain.
The colors of Vinhais's flag are black and white, white at the top-left and bottom-right and black at the top-right and bottom-left.
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...
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
Bragança (district)
Bragança District is a traditional political division of Portugal, in the northeast corner bordering on Spain, covering 7.4% of the nations continental landmass. The capital of the district, Bragança, is 217 kilometres from Porto, the second largest town in Portugal, and 107 kilometres and 169...
.
The present mayor is Américo Afonso Pereira, elected by the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Portugal)
The Socialist Party , abbreviated to PS, is a social-democratic political party in Portugal. It was founded on 19 April 1973 in the German city of Bad Münstereifel, by militants from Portuguese Socialist Action ....
.
The municipal holiday is May 20.
Parishes
- Agrochão
- Alvaredos
- Candedo
- Celas
- Curopos
- Edral
- Edrosa
- Ervedoa
- Fresulfe
- Moas
- Mofreita
- Moimenta
- Montouto
- Nunes
- Ousilhão
- Paçó
- Penhas Juntas
- Pinheiro Novo
- Quirás
- Rebordelo
- Santa Cruz
- Santalha
- São Jomil
- Sobreiró de Baixo
- Soeira
- Travanca
- Tuizelo
- Vale das FontesVale das FontesVale das Fontes is a parish of Vinhais municipality in the Bragança district of northeast Portugal.This parish includes the villages of Vale das Fontes, Nuzedo de Baixo and Minas. These villages belong to the so-called terra quente, or hot land...
- Vale de Janeiro
- Vila Boa de Ousilhão
- Vila Verde
- Vilar de LombaVilar de LombaVilar de Lomba is a parish in the municipality of Vinhais, Portugal....
- Vilar de Ossos
- Vilar de Peregrinos
- Vilar Seco de Lomba
- Vinhais
Geography
The northern boundary of the municipality extends to the border with Spain, 23 km. away.It is perched on the slopes of the Coroa mountains at an altitude of approximately 600 meters, protected from the cold winds of the north by the Ciradelha mountain, where in remote times there was a Luso-roman castro. On the south side is the Tuela River valley. There are three other rivers in the concelho: the Rabaçal, the Mente, and the Baceiro. They are relatively unpolluted and provide fish for locals and tourists. The Baceiro has a trout hatchery which is deactivated but will be reopened soon.
History
This ancient town, older than the founding of Portugal, owes its name to the abundance of vineyards that covered the slopes and produced excellent wine. Today the production of wine has almost disappeared.In the time of the Romans there was a settlement called Veniatia, through which passed the road that linked Braga to Astorga. 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...
, Visigoths, Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
, and Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
all were present in the region. One of the first kings of Portugal, Sancho II
Sancho II of Portugal
Sancho II , nicknamed "the Pious" and "the Caped" or "the Capuched" , , fourth King of Portugal, was the eldest son of Afonso II of Portugal by his wife, Infanta Urraca of Castile...
had a castle and walls built, around which grew a small town soon to be called Vinhaes. This town was nicknamed Rich Town, because of the abundance of its wine, linen, silk, and wool.
Several times occupied by the Castilians
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
it became part of Portugal again in 1403. In 1659 a Spanish general invaded the region and besieged Vinhais with 1,700 men. The castle resisted and the enemy retreated across the border, burning all the houses outside the walls as well as all the villages they passed through.
After the fall of the monarchy
5 October 1910 revolution
The revolution of 1910 was a republican coup d'état that occurred in Portugal on 5 October 1910, which deposed King Manuel II and established the Portuguese First Republic....
in 1910, the Royalist rebel Paiva Couceiro entered Vinhais and attacked the Republican forces, defeating them and sending them in retreat to Chaves
Paiva Couceiro's entry into Vinhais was received with joy because this town was still pro-monarchy. Soon, the Provisional Government of the Republic sent 400 soldiers to attack the rebels. After some violent skirmishes the rebels were defeated and forced to surrender. See Royalist attack on Chaves
Royalist attack on Chaves
The attack on Chaves, Portugal, which occurred on July 8, 1912, was a military action performed by supporters of the monarchy of Portugal in opposition to the Portuguese First Republic, which had been proclaimed two years prior....
Today, Vinhais is a small, rather isolated municipality, with an aging rural population. Without industry and with a diminishing population, it relies on tourism, an annual fair specializing in smoked meats, and some agriculture, especially chestnut growing.
The northern part of Vinhais is also part of the Montesinho Natural Park, with a significant interest on the rural and agricultural kind of life and wild life preservation. Among the protected species are the Iberian Wolf, Roe Deer, Wild Boar, Iberian Lynx, Common Genet, Red Fox and European Otter. To accomplish a better understanding of the wild life, there is now a Biological Park (Parque Biológico de Vinhais) in the Ciradelha Mountain.
Coat of Arms and flag
The coat of arms' shield color is red with four silver-colored grapes, two on the left and the other two on the right. There is a tower with one door and two windows in the center and a further four towers at the top.The colors of Vinhais's flag are black and white, white at the top-left and bottom-right and black at the top-right and bottom-left.