Arcos de Valdevez
Arcos de Valdevez () is a municipality along the northern frontier of Portugal and Galicia (Spain). The population in 2011 was 22,847, in an area of 447.60 km². It is the largest municipality in area of the district of Viana do Castelo. History. The first settlements in the area of Arcos de Valdevez occurred between the fifth and third millennium B.C., verified by archaeological investigations from many of the funerary mounds within the municipality, such as "Núcleo Megalítico do Mezio". This also includes many rock carvings and paintings that were found in the Gião archaeological station. This period  of prehistory and the Roman occupation known not just for its influence on toponymy, were important for many of the defensive and habitation structures that dot the landscape of the municipality. These include many of the "castros" that exist throughout the area, and in particular, in the parishes of Ázere, Álvora, and Cendufe. During the Middle Ages many of these proto-cultural sites were abandoned for medieval parishes or monasteries located along plains or atop strategic hills, such as the Monastery of Ermelo (Cistercians) or Santa Maria de Miranda (Benedictine). These areas facilitated settlement, which was tied to herding and  seasonal cultivation, while the mountains provided many sources for game. The facility of settlement greatly enhanced its importance, since its proximity to Spanish territory favoured strategic expansion into the south: the number of medieval bridges in the area, such as in Vilela and Cabreiro improved further expansion. In documents dating back to the tenth and eleventh centuries, there were several military, social centres, and infrastructures that had been built along these northern positions. A Roman-type bridge within the municipal limits, was constructed between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and first referenced during the named "Inquirições de 1258" ("1258 Inquiries ), when the name Arcos" appeared in Portuguese toponymy. Although abandoned in the thirteenth century, the Castle of Santa Cruz in Vila Fonche, which predates the village, was one of the first human centers, helping to protect human populations and facilitate communication that crossed the bridges along the Vez River. By 1258, the castle controlled a geographic area that included the present boundaries of Arcos de Valdevez. Its importance along these trade and military routes influenced King Manuel I to elevate this "metro-pole" to the status of village in 1515. Liberal reforms during the eighteenth century expanded the administrative limits  of the municipality, with the annexation of the areas of Soajo, Ermelo, and Gavieira. Geography. Physical geography. Arcos de Valdevez is situated in the northwest Portuguese peninsula of the historical province of Minho, in the district of Viana do Castelo. It is limited in the east by Spanish Galicia, in the south by the municipality of Ponte da Barca, in the southwest and west by Ponte de Lima, also by its western frontier with Paredes de Coura, in the north by Monção and northwest by Melgaço. Territorially, it occupies 20.18% of the Alto Minho subregion, 2.10% of the Norte region , or approximately 0.5% of continental Portugal. The physical geography of the municipality consists of three fundamental morphological units: the river-valley depression occupied by the Rivers Vez and Lima, of which 35% of the municipality is located; the mountainous escarpment of the Peneda-Gerês; and an accidented area in the west that extends to the eastern limits of the municipality. The Vez valley, which crosses the territory from north to south, divides the mountainous western and eastern areas, and is the location of the principal activities of the territory. Human geography. The municipal seat of Arcos de Valdevez, the city  specifically, is composed of the civil parishes of Salvador and São Paio, which together account for a population of approximately 2204 inhabitants. It is characteristic of the larger area of northern Portugal, with a relatively homogeneous culture and population, dispersed within a similar scenic environment; it is one of the larger municipalities in Portugal, with an area of approximately . Administratively, the municipality is divided into 36 civil parishes ("freguesias"): The largest of these parishes, Gavieira, Soajo, Cabreiro, Gondoriz, and Sistelo, are located in the mountainous areas that are part of Peneda-Gerês National Park. The municipal seat is situated from  Braga Municipality and from Porto, in the civil parish of São Salvador. The urban agglomerations of Arcos de Valdevez coincide roughly with the principal roadway, the Estrada Nacional E.N.101, that links Braga with Monção. The construction of the ancillary I.C.28 altered this pattern, permitting rapid access to Arcos de Valdevez from other regional centres. Administratively, along with Viana do Castelo, Ponte da Lima, and Ponte de Barca, it is overseen by the "VALIMA Associação de Municípios do Vale do Lima" ("Association of Municipalities of the Vale do Lima"). Since 1981 the population of the municipality has been in steady decline ; relative to the 2008 census, the population of the municipality has decreased, but at a rate far less than following the urbanization brought on by the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. The result has been an emigrant population, with most activities and residential concentration within a small area along the southwest border. Consequently, the urban areas of Salvador (with an urban density of 1090 habitantes/km²) and its neighbouring parishes (São Paio, Aguiã, and Giela) have seen some concentration. Sport. The municipal government has funded several sports related projects to develop local athletics, including the construction and maintenance of the following : In addition, there are several local sports organizations and clubs that benefit from the local infrastructures or offer different sporting services; these include the local equestrian and nautical club. The local football (soccer) club in Arcos is the C.A. Valdevez (), established in 1945, and currently playing the Portuguese Second Division Series A league. Arcos de Valdevez has a rugby team, Clube de Rugby de Arcos de Valdevez.