Ponte de Lima is a Portuguese village in the district of Viana do Castelo, North region and sub-region of Minho-Lima, with around 5125 inhabitants
Ponte de Lima is characterized by its medieval architecture and bathed by the River Lima, it is one of the oldest villages in Portugal.
Ponte de Lima is the seat of the municipality of Ponte de Lima with an area of 320.25 km² and 42,286 inhabitants (2011), subdivided into 39 parishes: Anais, Arca and Ponte de Lima (urban), Arcozelo (urban), Ardegão, Freixo and Mato, Bárrio and Cegãos, Beiral do Lima, Bertiandos, Boalhosa, Brandara, Cabaços and Fojo Lobal, Cabração and Moreira do Lima, Calheiros, Calvelo, Correlhã (urban), Estorãos, Facha, Feitosa (urban), Fontão, Fornelos and Queijada, Friastelas, Gandra, Gemieira, Gondufe, Labruja, Labrujó, Rendufe and Vilar do Monte, Navió and Vitorino dos Piães, Poiares, Refoios do Lima, Ribeira (urban), Sá, Santa Comba, Santa Cruz do Lima, Santa Maria de Rebordões, São Pedro d''''Arcos, Souto de Rebordões, Seara, Serdedelo, Vale do Neiva and Vitorino das Donas.
The municipality is limited to the north by the municipality of Paredes de Coura, to the east by Arcos de Valdevez and Ponte da Barca, to the southeast by Vila Verde, to the south by Barcelos, to the west by Viana do Castelo and Caminha and to the northwest by Vila Nova de Cerveira.
Ponte de Lima is a very important village since the Roman era and has a Court Palace of the Kingdom of León documented by archaeological finds and other written documents.
At the end of the 1950s, the town debated the name to adopt for the municipality, debating between the names Ponte do Lima and Ponte de Lima.
In 1982, the writings of the City Council still referred to the village as Ponte do Lima, now Ponte de Lima.
Ponte de Lima is the seat of the municipality of Ponte de Lima with an area of 320.25 km² and 42,286 inhabitants (2011), subdivided into 39 parishes: Anais, Arca and Ponte de Lima (urban), Arcozelo (urban), Ardegão, Freixo and Mato, Bárrio and Cegãos, Beiral do Lima, Bertiandos, Boalhosa, Brandara, Cabaços and Fojo Lobal, Cabração and Moreira do Lima, Calheiros, Calvelo, Correlhã (urban), Estorãos, Facha, Feitosa (urban), Fontão, Fornelos and Queijada, Friastelas, Gandra, Gemieira, Gondufe, Labruja, Labrujó, Rendufe and Vilar do Monte, Navió and Vitorino dos Piães, Poiares, Refoios do Lima, Ribeira (urban), Sá, Santa Comba, Santa Cruz do Lima, Santa Maria de Rebordões, São Pedro d''''Arcos, Souto de Rebordões, Seara, Serdedelo, Vale do Neiva and Vitorino das Donas.
The municipality is limited to the north by the municipality of Paredes de Coura, to the east by Arcos de Valdevez and Ponte da Barca, to the southeast by Vila Verde, to the south by Barcelos, to the west by Viana do Castelo and Caminha and to the northwest by Vila Nova de Cerveira.
Ponte de Lima is a very important village since the Roman era and has a Court Palace of the Kingdom of León documented by archaeological finds and other written documents.
At the end of the 1950s, the town debated the name to adopt for the municipality, debating between the names Ponte do Lima and Ponte de Lima.
In 1982, the writings of the City Council still referred to the village as Ponte do Lima, now Ponte de Lima.
History of Ponte de Lima
In the heart of the Lima Valley, the beauty of the village hides deep roots and ancient legends with a breathtaking landscape.
The Countess D. Teresa de Leão was the one who, on the distant date of March 4, 1125, granted a charter to the town, referring to it as Terra de Ponte.
In the 14th century, D. Pedro I ordered a wall to be placed in the geo-strategic position of Ponte de Lima, resulting in a medieval town surrounded by walls and 9 towers, two of which still remain, as well as several traces of the rest and the entire defensive structure, with access to the town through six gates.
The bridge, which gave its name to this noble land, always acquired an importance of great significance throughout Alto Minho, as it was the only safe passage over the Lima River, in its entirety, until the end of the Middle Ages.
The original one was built by the Romans, of which a significant section still remains on the right bank of the Lima, the medieval one being a notable architectural landmark, with very few examples that compare to it in terms of its loftiness, beauty and balance as a whole. Mandatory reference in itineraries, guides and maps, many of them old, which describe the passage through it of thousands of pilgrims who seek Santiago de Compostela and who still cross it today for the same purpose.
From the 18th century onwards, urban expansion emerged and the destruction of the wall that embraced the town began and the opulence of the stately homes that the nobility of the time took it upon themselves to disseminate began to prosper throughout the municipality of Ponte de Lima.
Over time, Ponte de Lima added to its natural beauty magnificent Gothic, Mannerist, Baroque, Neoclassical and 19th century facades, significantly increasing the historical, cultural and architectural value of this unique corner in the whole of Portugal.
In the town of Ponte de Lima we can see: Roman Bridge of Ponte de Lima, Church of Santo António da Torre Velha, Main Church of Ponte de Lima, Church of Misericórdia of Ponte de Lima, Walls of Ponte de Lima: Torre da Cadeia Velha, Arco da Porta Nova and Torre de São Paulo, Municipal Library of Ponte de Lima, Avenida dos Plátanos/Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Guia (Avenida 5 de October, Ponte de Lima), Legend of the Lethes River (Rio Lima, Ponte de Lima), Ecovia das Veigas, Ecovia dos Açudes (Largo de Camões, Ponte de Lima), Water Route, Ponte de Estorãos, Arco da Geia and Ponte do Arquinho (parish of Arcozelo, Ponte de Lima), Military History Interpretation Center of Ponte de Lima (Praça da República, Ponte de Lima) Lima), Territory Interpretation Center (Arnado Theme Park, Caminho da Oliveirinha, parish of Arcozelo, Ponte de Lima), Vinho Verde Interpretation and Promotion Center (Rua Fonte da Vila, Ponte de Lima), Museu dos Outubros (Av. 5 de Outubro, Ponte de Lima), Portuguese Toy Museum (Largo da Alegria, Ponte de Lima), Rural Museum of Ponte de Lima, Adega Cooperativa de Ponte de Lima, (Rua Conde de Bertiandos, Ponte de Lima), Teatro Diogo Bernardes (Rua Agostinho José Taveira, Vila de Ponte de Lima), Jardim Sebastião Sanhudo (Promenade 25 de Abril, Vila de Ponte de Lima), Arnado Theme Park (Caminho da Oliveirinha, parish of Arcozelo, Ponte de Lima), Municipal Archive of Ponte de Lima Lima, Monastery and Parish Church of Refoios, Chapel of the Guardian Angel or Padrão de São Miguel (on the right bank of the Lima river, next to the Roman bridge, Ponte de Lima).
The Countess D. Teresa de Leão was the one who, on the distant date of March 4, 1125, granted a charter to the town, referring to it as Terra de Ponte.
In the 14th century, D. Pedro I ordered a wall to be placed in the geo-strategic position of Ponte de Lima, resulting in a medieval town surrounded by walls and 9 towers, two of which still remain, as well as several traces of the rest and the entire defensive structure, with access to the town through six gates.
The bridge, which gave its name to this noble land, always acquired an importance of great significance throughout Alto Minho, as it was the only safe passage over the Lima River, in its entirety, until the end of the Middle Ages.
The original one was built by the Romans, of which a significant section still remains on the right bank of the Lima, the medieval one being a notable architectural landmark, with very few examples that compare to it in terms of its loftiness, beauty and balance as a whole. Mandatory reference in itineraries, guides and maps, many of them old, which describe the passage through it of thousands of pilgrims who seek Santiago de Compostela and who still cross it today for the same purpose.
From the 18th century onwards, urban expansion emerged and the destruction of the wall that embraced the town began and the opulence of the stately homes that the nobility of the time took it upon themselves to disseminate began to prosper throughout the municipality of Ponte de Lima.
Over time, Ponte de Lima added to its natural beauty magnificent Gothic, Mannerist, Baroque, Neoclassical and 19th century facades, significantly increasing the historical, cultural and architectural value of this unique corner in the whole of Portugal.
In the town of Ponte de Lima we can see: Roman Bridge of Ponte de Lima, Church of Santo António da Torre Velha, Main Church of Ponte de Lima, Church of Misericórdia of Ponte de Lima, Walls of Ponte de Lima: Torre da Cadeia Velha, Arco da Porta Nova and Torre de São Paulo, Municipal Library of Ponte de Lima, Avenida dos Plátanos/Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Guia (Avenida 5 de October, Ponte de Lima), Legend of the Lethes River (Rio Lima, Ponte de Lima), Ecovia das Veigas, Ecovia dos Açudes (Largo de Camões, Ponte de Lima), Water Route, Ponte de Estorãos, Arco da Geia and Ponte do Arquinho (parish of Arcozelo, Ponte de Lima), Military History Interpretation Center of Ponte de Lima (Praça da República, Ponte de Lima) Lima), Territory Interpretation Center (Arnado Theme Park, Caminho da Oliveirinha, parish of Arcozelo, Ponte de Lima), Vinho Verde Interpretation and Promotion Center (Rua Fonte da Vila, Ponte de Lima), Museu dos Outubros (Av. 5 de Outubro, Ponte de Lima), Portuguese Toy Museum (Largo da Alegria, Ponte de Lima), Rural Museum of Ponte de Lima, Adega Cooperativa de Ponte de Lima, (Rua Conde de Bertiandos, Ponte de Lima), Teatro Diogo Bernardes (Rua Agostinho José Taveira, Vila de Ponte de Lima), Jardim Sebastião Sanhudo (Promenade 25 de Abril, Vila de Ponte de Lima), Arnado Theme Park (Caminho da Oliveirinha, parish of Arcozelo, Ponte de Lima), Municipal Archive of Ponte de Lima Lima, Monastery and Parish Church of Refoios, Chapel of the Guardian Angel or Padrão de São Miguel (on the right bank of the Lima river, next to the Roman bridge, Ponte de Lima).
