Viana do Castelo, A Coastal City with Colourful Heritage
Viana do Castelo is famous for its colourful traditional costumes and gold jewellery as well as its architecture.
When I say architecture, we’re talking Celtic settlements, medieval monuments and award-winning contemporary buildings. Not only that, its location at the mouth of the River Lima means it’s surrounded by unspoilt coastline and was once one of Portugal’s most important ports.
Back in the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal was leading the way in European ‘discoveries’ of far-flung lands. Many significant expeditions began in Viana do Castelo and the rich medieval architecture in the city centre stems from the ensuing riches.
Medieval tryptych
Praça da República contains three treasures from around this period: the 16th century Renaissance fountain; the former council chambers and the Mannerist Misericórdia Hospital.
The hospital was built to replace makeshift medical provisions at the hostel for pilgrims on their Way to Santiago do Compostela and was the city’s main hospital until 1983. The church next to it was rebuilt in the 18th century and has recently been restored. The interior is remarkable with walls covered in azulejo panels depicting physical and spiritual acts of mercy and altars and chapels dripping with gold leaf.
Santa Luzia basilica and Celtic settlement
Viana’s most iconic building, the one that appears on most postcards, is the Santa Luzia basilica, which presides over the city and Minho coastline from its hilltop position. It’s a replica of the Sacre Couer in Paris and offers unrivalled views from the upper dome.
More primitive civilisations also claimed this strategic location. Behind the basílica you’ll find a collection of circular ruins from a fortified settlement built between the Iron Age and Roman occupation.
Contemporary architecture
Pritzker Prize-winning architect Siza Vieira designed Viana’s library building while the industrial-looking Cultural Centre is the work of another famous Portuguese architect, Eduardo Souto Moura. There are other noteworthy structures around, such as Hotel Axis and the new Tourist Information Centre.
Costumes and jewellery
If you’ve seen pictures of Portuguese women in predominantly red costumes weighed down by an excess of gold necklaces, it’s a fair bet that they are from Viana do Castelo. The Museu do Traje (Costume Museum) is full of local variations of these traditional skirts and dresses, made and embroidered by hand as evidence of a young woman’s home-making skills.
There’s also a jewellery section where you’ll see typical local pieces including the distinctively-shaped filigree Viana heart and traditional arrecadas (boat-shaped earings).
Gil Eannes Hospital Ship
If you’ve ever spared a thought for what life on a hospital ship might be like, now’s your chance to find out. The Gil Eannes was originally built in this very port in 1955 to support the Portuguese cod fishing fleet working near Newfoundland and Greenland. After years of service in various capacities, it was on the verge of being scrapped. Fortunately, local people and institutions came to the rescue by clubbing together to bring it home, restore it and make it open to the public.
Bacalhau à moda de Viana do Castelo
The cod that the Portuguese love so much first found its way into the country through Viana’s port. Unsurprisingly, there is a local way of serving it which involves soaking the fish in milk then cooking it in cabbage leaves before baking on a bed of onions and garlic. Sounds delicious!
