Sabrosa
Encyclopedia
Sabrosa is a municipality in the district of Vila Real
in northern Portugal
. The municipality is composed of 15 parishes and has a total area of 156.92 km² and a population of 6,835 inhabitants (a density of approximately 43 inhabitants per kilometre square).
Although the municipality was established on 6 November 1836, the history of the region extends back to vestiges from different tribes and groups that lived in area, remoting to the pre-historic period. During this period ancient Neolithic tribes constructed dolmen
funerary structures, such as the Mamoa 1 de Madorras in the Serra da Padrela (Arcã), a monumental, yet well-preserved tomb.
Also, the Castro culture
of the Iron Age
resulted in many of these stone fortifications scattered throughout the municipality; castros like the Castro of Sancha, Castelo dos Mouros or Castro de São Domingos de Provesende, are located in sights of good visibility and natural defences, reinforced by the construction of moats and walls. The Castro of Sabrosa was actually adopted by the Romans, who left behind coins and a stone inscription dedicated to Jupiter. A Luso-Roman cemetery was also discovered in the parish of Provesende (in Quinta da Relva), and classified as a patrimony of public interest, but it was destroyed in the 1950s when the land was re-purposed for vineyards.
The majority of the settlements in Sabrosa date back to the Middle Ages, and were formalized in foral
s bestowed by hereditary heirs of Afonso I of Portugal
. Many of these settlements were actually established prior to 1143 (the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal
), such as Provesende, and have scattered paleo-Christian structures from this period, as in the cases of Arcã, Vilar de Celas, Paredes, Provesende and Donelo.
After the 15th century, records from the region began to become more detailed, identifying the residence of noblemen in the region, including the House of Pereira, where Ferdinand Magellan
( was born. The life of these families were associated with the construction family estates distributed throughout the municipality. The prosperity of the region was due in part to the growth of Demarcated Region of the Douro, and through the exploitation by the Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro, which was established by the Marquess of Pombal
in 1756. By establishing a special wine region designation for the Douro region, he elevated the importance of the area, creating incentives to improve the production of Douro wines and improve quality exports. With the exception of Parada do Pinhão, São Lourenço de Ribapinhão and Torre do Pinhão all the parishes of Sabrosa fell within the demarcated region.
On 14 December 2001, UNESCO integrated the Alto Douro Vinhateiro on their list of World Heritage sites.
The municipality of Sabrosa, with an area of approximately 180 km², is located in the district of Vila Real
, within the Tourist Region of the Serra do Marão. It is delimited in the north by the municipalities of Vila Pouca and Murça, in the east by Alijó, the west by Vila Real and Peso da Régua, and south by Douro River. Its configuration is reminiscent of an elongated tear-drop, oriented north-south.
Sabrosa is a municipality with a geology that has been shaped by ancient forces: in the north, the area is granitic, covered in pines and extraction of aggregates; while the southern portion of the municipality is dominated by schist
s, promoting the feasibility of vineyards.
Sabrosa is divided into 15 civil parishes :
Sabrosa, which falls in the Trás-os-Montes culture, has many examples of traditional gastronomy, which includes oven-brazed goat in rice , the Cozido à portuguesa, the bola de carne (ball of meat), the typical embutido
s, pão-de-ló, cavacas altas and cavaquinhas, in addition to the rich tradition of Douro and Porto wines.
Vila Real (district)
The District of Vila Real is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of 4,239 km², the district is located west of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the historical province of Tras-os-Montes. Approximate population in the 2001...
in northern Portugal
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...
. The municipality is composed of 15 parishes and has a total area of 156.92 km² and a population of 6,835 inhabitants (a density of approximately 43 inhabitants per kilometre square).
History
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
funerary structures, such as the Mamoa 1 de Madorras in the Serra da Padrela (Arcã), a monumental, yet well-preserved tomb.
Also, 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 the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
resulted in many of these stone fortifications scattered throughout the municipality; castros like the Castro of Sancha, Castelo dos Mouros or Castro de São Domingos de Provesende, are located in sights of good visibility and natural defences, reinforced by the construction of moats and walls. The Castro of Sabrosa was actually adopted by the Romans, who left behind coins and a stone inscription dedicated to Jupiter. A Luso-Roman cemetery was also discovered in the parish of Provesende (in Quinta da Relva), and classified as a patrimony of public interest, but it was destroyed in the 1950s when the land was re-purposed for vineyards.
The majority of the settlements in Sabrosa date back to the Middle Ages, and were formalized in 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 ....
s bestowed by hereditary heirs of Afonso I of Portugal
Afonso I of Portugal
Afonso I or Dom Afonso Henriques , more commonly known as Afonso Henriques , nicknamed "the Conqueror" , "the Founder" or "the Great" by the Portuguese, and El-Bortukali and Ibn-Arrik by the Moors whom he fought, was the first King of Portugal...
. Many of these settlements were actually established prior to 1143 (the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
), such as Provesende, and have scattered paleo-Christian structures from this period, as in the cases of Arcã, Vilar de Celas, Paredes, Provesende and Donelo.
After the 15th century, records from the region began to become more detailed, identifying the residence of noblemen in the region, including the House of Pereira, where Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....
( was born. The life of these families were associated with the construction family estates distributed throughout the municipality. The prosperity of the region was due in part to the growth of Demarcated Region of the Douro, and through the exploitation by the Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro, which was established by the Marquess of Pombal
Marquess of Pombal
Count of Oeiras was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from July 15, 1759, by King Joseph I of Portugal, and granted to Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Head of the Portuguese Government....
in 1756. By establishing a special wine region designation for the Douro region, he elevated the importance of the area, creating incentives to improve the production of Douro wines and improve quality exports. With the exception of Parada do Pinhão, São Lourenço de Ribapinhão and Torre do Pinhão all the parishes of Sabrosa fell within the demarcated region.
On 14 December 2001, UNESCO integrated the Alto Douro Vinhateiro on their list of World Heritage sites.
Geography
The municipality of Sabrosa, with an area of approximately 180 km², is located in the district of Vila Real
Vila Real (district)
The District of Vila Real is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of 4,239 km², the district is located west of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the historical province of Tras-os-Montes. Approximate population in the 2001...
, within the Tourist Region of the Serra do Marão. It is delimited in the north by the municipalities of Vila Pouca and Murça, in the east by Alijó, the west by Vila Real and Peso da Régua, and south by Douro River. Its configuration is reminiscent of an elongated tear-drop, oriented north-south.
Sabrosa is a municipality with a geology that has been shaped by ancient forces: in the north, the area is granitic, covered in pines and extraction of aggregates; while the southern portion of the municipality is dominated by schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
s, promoting the feasibility of vineyards.
Sabrosa is divided into 15 civil parishes :
- CeleirósCeleirós (Sabrosa)Celeirós is a civil parish in the Trás-os-Montes municipality of Sabrosa, with a small agrarian population of less than 644 inhabitants, covering an area of .-History:...
- Covas do Douro
- Gouvães do Douro
- Gouvinhas
- Parada de Pinhão
- Paradela de Guiães
- Paços
- Provesende
- Sabrosa
- São Cristóvão do Douro
- São Lourenço de Ribapinhão
- São Martinho de AntaSão Martinho de Anta (Sabrosa)São Martinho de Anta is a civil parish in the municipality of Sabrosa in the district of Vila Real. The small parish extends into an area of 15.95 km², and includes a minor population of 870 inhabitants...
- Souto Maior
- Torre do Pinhão
- Vilarinho de São Romão
Culture
The municipality is known for its embroidery, tanneries, basket-weaving, carpentry and cheesemaking.Sabrosa, which falls in the Trás-os-Montes culture, has many examples of traditional gastronomy, which includes oven-brazed goat in rice , the Cozido à portuguesa, the bola de carne (ball of meat), the typical embutido
Embutido
An embutido , enchido or embotits is a generic term for sausages found in Spain, Portugal, the Philippines, and Central and South America....
s, pão-de-ló, cavacas altas and cavaquinhas, in addition to the rich tradition of Douro and Porto wines.
Notable citizens
- Ferdinand MagellanFerdinand MagellanFerdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....
(c. 1480 – 27 April 1521) was an explorer; in the service of Charles I of Spain , his 1519–1522 expedition became the first to sail from the Atlantic Ocean into and cross the Pacific Ocean, before being killed in the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines; - Adolfo Correia Rocha, known as Miguel TorgaMiguel TorgaMiguel Torga, pseudonym of Adolfo Correia da Rocha is considered one of the greatest Portuguese writers of the 20th century...
, (São Martinho de AntaSão Martinho de Anta (Sabrosa)São Martinho de Anta is a civil parish in the municipality of Sabrosa in the district of Vila Real. The small parish extends into an area of 15.95 km², and includes a minor population of 870 inhabitants...
; 12 August 1907 – CoimbraCoimbraCoimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
; 17 January 1995), a poet, dramatist, essayist, whose works have been translated into various languages; - José Alberto Loureiro dos Santos (26 September 1936 - ), a military General and writer responsible for writing Apontamentos de História para Militares (1979); Forças Armadas, Defesa Nacional e Poder Politico (1980), Incursões no Domínio da Estratégia (1987) and Abordagem Estratégica da Guerra da Independência(1986), among others;
- Manuel Herminío Monteiro ( Parada de Pinhão, 10 September 1952 - Lisbon; 3 June 2001), a poet, businessman and editor of Assírio & Alvim;
- Joaquim Pinheiro de Azevedo Leite Pereira (Provesende; 9 February 1829 — Provesende; 17 January 1918), 10th Master of the Casa do Santo, was a Douro winemaker, who saved the vineyards of the region from the phylloxeraPhylloxeraGrape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
disease, that destroyed the vineyards of the region; - Jaime Alberto Gonçalves das Neves (São Martinho de AntaSão Martinho de Anta (Sabrosa)São Martinho de Anta is a civil parish in the municipality of Sabrosa in the district of Vila Real. The small parish extends into an area of 15.95 km², and includes a minor population of 870 inhabitants...
; 24 March 1936 - ), a colonel and Grand Official in the Order of the Tower and SwordOrder of the Tower and SwordThe Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
, for his moderating contributions during the Carnation RevolutionCarnation RevolutionThe Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
, and for the return to military normalcy after the events; - Raul Maria Pereira (Covas do Douro; Junho 1877 - Lima, Peru; 13 January 1933), a counsel and painter;
- José Augusto Aires Torres (Parada do Pinhão; 18 May 1893 - Porto; 10 February 1979), a colonial soldier, actor, poet, military officer during the first and second World Wars, and agitator envolved in attempted coups against the Estado NovoEstado NovoThere have been two regimes known as Estado Novo :*Estado Novo , the period from 1937 to 1945, under the leadership of Getúlio Vargas...
regime 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...
;