Valpaços
Encyclopedia
Valpaços (ˌvaɫˈpasuʃ) is a municipality in northern Portugal
with a total area of 548.74 km² and a total population of 19,154 inhabitants.
evolved from pre-national settlements, and started as a small enclave inhabited by nobles and signeurial family estates, attracted by the privilages of colonial settlement so close to the Spanish border. The nascent Portuguese community was susceptible to attacks from Spain, who maintained their land claims to the Portuguese territory. The establishment of border settlements fixed the border.
Historically, Vale de Paço (and later Vale de Paços until the 19th century) was an area with roots in the Roman period of settlement, yet influenced by Germanic settlers before Portugal became a Kingdom.
The most important event in the regions history occurred in the 19th century. On 16 November 1846, during the Patuleia
conflict, a movement that was apolitical turned bloody, resulting in the deaths of 200 people, before the wave proceeded into the lands of Murça.
region, and part of the district of Vila Real
. It is confined in the north by the municipality of Chaves, to the east by Mirandela
and Vinhais, to the south by Murça and Mirandela
and in the west by Chaves and Vila Pouca de Aguiar.
From north to south, the Transmontanan relief is exemplified by planar stretches of the Iberian Meseta, with altitudes between 700-800 metres above sea level, tending to have a regular profile north of the Douro River.
Regional and national connections between the municipality and its neighbours are completed across several of its primary and secondary roadways: the 213 (Chaves–Valpaços-Mirandela-Vila Flor); the 103 (Braga–Chaves-Bragança); the 206 (Vila do Conde–Valpaços–Bragança; and the 314 (Chaves–Carrazedo de Montenegro-Murça IP4). The important link is the 206 to A24, which links Valpaços with Vila Real, Viseu and internationally to Spain (Espanha–Verin-A52 roadway), and the national A7 which permits a rapid connection with the coast (Guimarães, Braga and Porto). The ancillary connection to the national 213 also permits a rapid connection to the IP4, which links Valpaços with Porto, Vila Real and Bragança.
Administratively, the approximately 548 km² area of territory is distributed into 31 parishes, including 115 localities (places, hamlets or villages), one of which is the town of Valpaços:
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 548.74 km² and a total population of 19,154 inhabitants.
History
The first documents that cite Valpaços date back to the 12th century. Its toponymyToponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
evolved from pre-national settlements, and started as a small enclave inhabited by nobles and signeurial family estates, attracted by the privilages of colonial settlement so close to the Spanish border. The nascent Portuguese community was susceptible to attacks from Spain, who maintained their land claims to the Portuguese territory. The establishment of border settlements fixed the border.
Historically, Vale de Paço (and later Vale de Paços until the 19th century) was an area with roots in the Roman period of settlement, yet influenced by Germanic settlers before Portugal became a Kingdom.
The most important event in the regions history occurred in the 19th century. On 16 November 1846, during the Patuleia
Patuleia
The Patuleia, Guerra da Patuleia, or Little Civil War was a civil war in Portugal, so called to distinguish it from the 'great' civil war between Dom Pedro IV and Dom Miguel that ended in 1834. The Patuleia occurred after the Revolution of Maria da Fonte, and was closely associated with her...
conflict, a movement that was apolitical turned bloody, resulting in the deaths of 200 people, before the wave proceeded into the lands of Murça.
Geography
Valpaços is located in the northern interior of Portugal in the Alto Trás-os-MontesAlto 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...
region, and part of 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...
. It is confined in the north by the municipality of Chaves, to the east by Mirandela
Mirandela Municipality
Mirandela is a municipality of 25,780 inhabitants, in the northeast corner of Portugal.-History:The settlements of Mirandela date back to the pre-historical period, but primarily relate to a period of Roman occupation. During this era, the main settlement of Mirandela was a Roman civitas, known...
and Vinhais, to the south by Murça and Mirandela
Mirandela Municipality
Mirandela is a municipality of 25,780 inhabitants, in the northeast corner of Portugal.-History:The settlements of Mirandela date back to the pre-historical period, but primarily relate to a period of Roman occupation. During this era, the main settlement of Mirandela was a Roman civitas, known...
and in the west by Chaves and Vila Pouca de Aguiar.
From north to south, the Transmontanan relief is exemplified by planar stretches of the Iberian Meseta, with altitudes between 700-800 metres above sea level, tending to have a regular profile north of the Douro River.
Regional and national connections between the municipality and its neighbours are completed across several of its primary and secondary roadways: the 213 (Chaves–Valpaços-Mirandela-Vila Flor); the 103 (Braga–Chaves-Bragança); the 206 (Vila do Conde–Valpaços–Bragança; and the 314 (Chaves–Carrazedo de Montenegro-Murça IP4). The important link is the 206 to A24, which links Valpaços with Vila Real, Viseu and internationally to Spain (Espanha–Verin-A52 roadway), and the national A7 which permits a rapid connection with the coast (Guimarães, Braga and Porto). The ancillary connection to the national 213 also permits a rapid connection to the IP4, which links Valpaços with Porto, Vila Real and Bragança.
Administratively, the approximately 548 km² area of territory is distributed into 31 parishes, including 115 localities (places, hamlets or villages), one of which is the town of Valpaços:
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