Vila Real (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvilɐ ʁiˈal] ) is the capital and largest city of the Vila Real District, in the North region, Portugal. It is also the seat of the Douro intermunicipal community and of the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro historical province. The Vila Real municipality covers an area of 378.80 square kilometres (146.26 sq mi) and is home to an estimated population of 49,574 (2021), of which about 30,000 live in the urban area (2021).
The city is located in a plateau 450 m (1,510 ft) high, over the promontory formed by the gorges of the Corgo and Cabril rivers, where the oldest part of town (Vila Velha) is located, framed by the escarpments of the Corgo gorge. The Alvão and Marão mountains overlook the town on the northwest and southwest side, respectively, rising up to 1,400 m (4,600 ft). With over seven hundred years of existence, the city was once known as the "royal court of Trás-os-Montes" due to the high number of manors bearing coats of arms and family crests, attesting the presence of noble figures that established in the city by influence of the Marquis of Vila Real, the most powerful aristocratic house in Portugal, during the 16th and 17th centuries, after the Dukes of Braganza and the Dukes of Aveiro. Many of these family crests are still visible today in the manors spread throughout the old city and in the Carreira Garden.
Vila Real was ranked seventh in the list of Portugal's most livable cities in the survey of living conditions published by the Portuguese newspaper Expresso in 2007.
Contents
History
The region shows traces of inhabitation during the Paleolithic era, while the settlement of Panóias and the Panóias Sanctuary had a Roman presence. However, with the barbaric and Muslim invasions there was a gradual depopulation.
At the end of the 11th century, in 1096, Henry, Count of Portugal wrote a foral, a royal document whose purpose was to establish and regulate a town, establishing Constantim de Panóias (now the city's neighbouring village of Constantim) as a way to repopulate the region. In 1272, as a new incentive to repopulation, King Afonso III of Portugal wrote another unsuccessful foral, this time to establish Vila Real de Panóias. Only in 1289, in a second foral directed at the town written by King Denis of Portugal was there success in establishing Vila Real de Panóias, whose name, meaning Royal Town, is a testimony to its origin by royal decree.
Vila Real's privileged location at the crossroad between the Porto-Bragança and Viseu-Chaves roads allowed for a sustained growth over the centuries. Starting from the 17th century, the House of Vila Real attracted the nobility to an extent that during that time the city housed more members of the royal family than any other settlement in Portugal except the capital in Lisbon, and family coats of arms remain above old houses and manors, some of which are still occupied by those families. Vineyards were introduced to the municipality in 1764, growing red, white and rosé wines for export. Despite its royal presence, Vila Real remained with the status of town until the increase in population in the 19th century, which led to it gaining the status of capital of the Vila Real District and the historic province of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vila Real was created in 1922 from the dioceses of Bragança-Miranda, Braga and Lamego and Vila Real finally gained city status under the Portuguese Republic in 1925.
It was the fourth Portuguese city to have public supply of electricity, but it was the first to produce hydroelectric power, from 1894 to 1926 in the Hydroelectric Power Plant of Biel, located near the Corgo River, named after Karl Emil Biel.
The city experienced a great development with the establishment of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in 1986, succeeding the Polytechnic Institute of Vila Real created in 1973, contributing to an increase and revitalization of the population. In 2017 there were 6 651 students enrolled in higher education.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Vila Real - a sword embedded in a wreath of zambujeiro (wild olive tree) and the slogan Aleu - is derived from the decorative motif of the tomb of Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila Real, found in the Igreja da Graça in Santarém. 'Aleu' or 'aleo' is an old Portuguese term for a 'gaming stick' (as used in hockey or shuffleboard). It refers to a famous episode concerning Pedro de Menezes from shortly after the Conquest of Ceuta on September 2, 1415 (commemorated on Ceuta Day). Pedro de Menezes was engaged in an outdoor game in the king's presence when a messenger arrived reporting an imminent Moroccan attack on Portuguese-held Ceuta. Menezes is said to have raised his gaming stick (aleo) and told the king that "with that stick alone" he could defend Ceuta from all the power of Morocco. Similar design can be seen on the coat of arms of Alcoutim, where Pedro's descendants were made Count's of Alcoutim.
Population
(Observation: Number of resident inhabitants, that is, that had their official residency in Vila Real at the time of the census.)
(Observation: From 1900 to 1950 the data refers to the de facto population, that was present in Vila Real at the time of the census.)
Climate
Vila Real has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb/Csa) with warm to hot dry summers and cool wet winters.
Located in a promontory formed by the gorges of the Corgo and Cabril rivers, Vila Real sits at 460 m (1,510 ft) altitude. The Alvão and Marão mountains overlook the town on the northwest and southwest side, respectively, rising up to 1,400 m (4,600 ft).
Due to the geographical location, its climate is a mix between Mediterranean and oceanic, with some continental influences. Winters are long, with negative temperatures and frequent frosts. Snowfall usually occurs once or twice each year.
Civil parishes
Vila Real's municipality consists of 20 freguesias or civil parishes, which are not all coexistent with the ecclesiastical parishes or paróquias. The civil parish Vila Real (Nossa Senhora da Conceição, São Pedro e São Dinis) is officially the city of Vila Real.
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 20 civil parishes (freguesias):
Infrastructure
Museums and cultural facilities
Archaeology and Numismatic Museum
Vila Velha Museum
Professor Fernando Real Geology Museum at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro
Ethnographic Museum
Sound and Image Museum
Alvão Natural Park Information and Interpretation Center
Panoias Sanctuary Interpretation Center
Vila Real Science Center
Urban Ecology Agency
Dr. Júlio Teixeira Public Library
Vila Real Theater
Casa de Mateus Foundation
Municipal Archive
Vila-Realense Literary Guild
Sports
Codessais Recreational Complex
Monte da Forca Sports Complex
UTAD Sports Complex
Abambres Sports Complex
Engenheiro Francisco Campos Sports Complex
Calvário Football Pitch
Cruzeiro Stadium (Constantim)
D. Francisco de Sousa Albuquerque Football Pitch (Mateus)
Flores Tennis Court
UTAD Tennis Courts
Vila Real Tennis Club
Corgo Park Multi Sport
Forest Park Multi Sport
Vila Real Sports Center
Araucária Sports Center
Diogo Cão Sports Center
UTAD Sports Center
Vila Real AMF Kartdrome
Monte da Forca Kartdrome
Municipal Covered Swimming Pools
Codessais Swimming Pools
NaturWaterPark - Douro Amusement Park
Vila Real Rocodrome - Climbing Walls
Walking and Running Center
Health
Nuno Grande community health center (USF)
Corgo community health center (USF)
Fénix community health center (USF)
Nova de Mateus community health center (USF)
Mateus Personalized Health Care Unit (UCSP)
Mateus UCSP - Abaças Unit
Mateus UCSP - Torgueda Unit
Mateus UCSP - Campeã Unit
Mateus UCSP - Sanguinhedo Unit
Integrated Continued Care Unit - Vila Real Santa Casa da Misericórdia
St. Peter Hospital, part of the Hospital Center of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (CHTMAD)
Hospital da Luz - Vila Real (Private)
Trofa Saúde - Hospital Vila Real (Private)
Nature
UTAD Botanical Garden
Forest Park
Corgo Park
Alvão Natural Park
Alvão/Marão Site of Community Importance (Natura 2000 Network)
Vila Real Campsite
Mateus Palace Gardens
Carreira Garden
Alto Douro Wine Region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Fojo Dos Lobos de Fafiao.
MIradouro de Fafiao- Cabril
Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho born PLace. Lapela - Cabril, Montalegre
Education
University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro
Agostinho Roseta Technical School
Nervir Technical School
Camilo Castelo Branco Secondary School
São Pedro Secondary School
Morgado de Mateus Secondary School
Diogo Cão Lower Secondary School
Monsenhor Jerónimo do Amaral Lower Secondary School
João Paulo II Private School
São José Private School
S. Vicente de Paulo Primary School
Corgo Primary School
Árvores Primary School
Flores Primary School
Araucária Primary School
Douro Primary School
Mouçós Primary School
Lordelo Primary School
Agarez Primary School
Arrabães Primary School
Mondrões Primary School
Parada de Cunhos Primary School
Prado Primary School
Campeã Primary School
Others
Nosso Shopping Center
Constantim Industrial Park
Regia Douro Park - Science and Technology Park
Main sights
Capela da Misericórdia
Capela de São Brás e o túmulo de Teixeira de Macedo
Capela do Espírito Santo ou Capela do Bom Jesus do Hospital
Diogo Cão's house
Carvalho Araújo's house
Brocas' house
Marqueses's house de Vila Real
Cathedral of Vila Real
St. Peter's church
Bom Jesus do Calvário church
Clérigos's church or "Capela Nova"
Pelourinho de Vila Real
Outside the city centre
Alvão Natural Park
Mateus Palace
Quintela's tower
Mamoas de Justes
Mão do Homem, in Adoufe
Necrópole de S. Miguel da Pena
Santuário de Panóias, in Vale de Nogueiras
Fafiao- Cabril, Montalegre MIRADOURO de Fafiao
Fojo de LObos de Fafiao. Fafiao- Cabril, MOntalegre
Transportation
Highways
A24 - Connects Chaves (frontier with Galiza, Spain), to the North, and Viseu, to the South.
A7 - Indirect connection to Minho (Braga, Guimarães, etc.), from Vila Pouca de Aguiar, via A24.
A4 - Main Road that connects Porto, to the West, and Bragança, Northeast and the frontier with Castilla y Leon, Spain.
Airfield
Vila Real airfield (VRL) - Located 4 km from city centre, near the Industrial Zone, in the Folhadela parish.
Has a paved runway with 950×30 m.
A scheduled airline service operated by Aero VIP serves some domestic destinations.
Railway
The Corgo line was a metre gauge railway that connected the city to Regua, 25 km south, in the Douro valley. It closed for renovation in 2009, but due to spending cuts by the Portuguese Government the closure has become permanent. It followed the Corgo river valley and offered splendid views to the characteristic vineyards clinging on to almost vertical. Until 1990 the Corgo line also continued north to Chaves.
Urban bus
The city bus system in Vila Real is run by Corgobus; there are 5 lines and about 1.35 million people in 2008 were transported.
Main distances
Chaves Portugal - 68 km
Viseu Portugal - 90 km
Porto Portugal - 97 km
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) Portugal - 100 km
Braga Portugal - 100 km
Bragança Portugal - 120 km
Lisbon Portugal - 411 km
Madrid Spain - 520 km
Faro Portugal - 613 km
Twin towns – sister cities
Vila Real is twinned with:
Notable people
Diogo Cão (c. 1452 – c. 1486), explorer and navigator of the Age of Discovery
Luís Vaz Pereira Pinto Guedes (1770–1841), brigadier on the absolutist side in Portugal's Liberal Wars & 2nd Viscount of Montalegre
António Lopes Mendes (1835–1894), explorer, agronomist in Brazil and India, illustrator and cartographer
José Augusto Alves Roçadas (1865–1926) general, colonial governor in Angola and Macau
Carvalho Araújo (1881–1918), Navy officer, colonial administrator and politician
Luísa Dacosta (1927–2015), writer
Francisco Seixas da Costa (born 1948), diplomat
Sport
Paulo Alves, (born 1969), footballer
Jaime Linares (born 1982), Angolan footballer
Norberto Mourão (born 1980), paracanoeist, bronze medallist at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
Vítor Murta (born 1979), footballer
Ana Sofia Nóbrega (born 1990), Angolan swimmer
André Pires (born 1989), motorcycle racer
Jorge Rodrigues (born 1982), footballer
Simão Sabrosa (born 1979), footballer
Schuster (Rui Miguel Mateus Teixeira, born 1978) footballer