| Favaios | |
| Civil Parish (Freguesia) | |
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A panaromic view of the settlement of Favaios
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| Official name: Freguesia de Favaios | |
| Name origin: favaios Portuguese derivation of 'Flavius, name of Flavian Emperor Emperor Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus | |
| Country | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Region | Norte |
| Subregion | Douro |
| District | Bragança |
| Municipality | Alijó |
| Center | Favaios |
| - elevation | 498 m (1,634 ft) |
| - coordinates | |
| Length | 6.56 km (4 mi), Northwest-Southeast |
| Width | 5.60 km (3 mi), Southwest-Northeast |
| Area | 21.44 km2 (8 sq mi) |
| Population | 1,500 (2001) |
| Density | 69.96 / km2 (181 / sq mi) |
| LAU | Freguesia/Junta Freguesia |
| - location | Rua Teixeira Sousa, Favaios, Alijó |
| - elevation | 498 m (1,634 ft) |
| - coordinates | |
| President Junta | Carlos Alberto Sequeira Carvalho Teixeira |
| President Assembleia | António Manuel Veiga Lobo Figueiredo Barros |
| Timezone | WET (UTC0) |
| - summer (DST) | WEST (UTC+1) |
| ISO 3166-2 code | PT- |
| Postal Zone | 5070-000 Favaios |
| Area Code & Prefix | (+351) 259 XXX XXX |
| Parish Address | Rua Teixeira Sousa 5070-000 Favaios |
| Wikimedia Commons: Favaios (Alijó) | |
| Website: http://freguesiadefavaios.com/ | |
| Statistics from INE (2001); geographic detail from Instituto Geográfico Português (2010) | |
Favaios (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɐˈvajuʃ]) is a civil parish of the municipality of Alijó, in northern Portugal. The region is known for its wines, namely, the moscatels like Moscatel de Favaios.
Favaios originally was part of the region of Panoias, before being occupied by Roman legions between 218 AD and 201 AD. Lost to the tribes of Lusitanians and Hispanic clans after 200 A.D.[1] The founders came from the families and relations of the Flavian dynasty, of Imperial Rome, who rose to prominence after Emperor Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus.[1] The parishes' name is derived from Flávios, a corruption of the original Flavius of this leader.[1] Panoias was a vast territory which extended from Marão to Tua Rivers, and from the Douro River until the municipality of Murça.[1]
The invasion of the Iberian peninsula by Arabs reached the north, where the Moors took the Roman Castle of Flávias: it would later be remembered as the "Castelo dos Mouros” (English: Castle of Moors). This occupation forced the locals to escape the region and re-established settlements away from Favaios: half the population took refuge in the area that would be renamed São Bento.[1] From this new colony the Portuguese battled the Moors of Favaios; after the explusion of the Moors the region was covered in the destruction of these battles.[1] The destruction lead to a slow reconstruction of Favaios.
Favaios received in 1211 its Carta de Alforria (Charter of liberty/freedom) from King Afonso II, and its foral (charter) in 1270 by Afonso III (which was later confirmed in 1284 by King Denis).[1] Strangely, during the reign of Manuel I the charter was was revoked in 1514, to be reinstituted the following year, ordering that the local fountain be marked with the Royal shield over an armillary sphere, surmounted by a crown.[1]
With an area of 21.44 km², Favaios is located along a plateau in the Trás-os-Montes.[1]