| Monte Córdova | ||
| Civil Parish (Freguesia) | ||
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| Official name: Freguesia de Monte Córdova | ||
| Country | Portugal | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Norte | |
| Subregion | Ave | |
| District | Porto | |
| Municipality | Santo Tirso | |
| Localities | Cabanas, Hortel, Monte Córdova, Santa Luzia | |
| Center | Monte Córdova | |
| - elevation | 383 m (1,257 ft) | |
| - coordinates | ||
| Length | 6.61 km (4 mi), West-East | |
| Width | 4.23 km (3 mi), North-South | |
| Area | 16.80 km2 (6 sq mi) | |
| Population | 3,669 (2001) | |
| Density | 218.39 / km2 (566 / sq mi) | |
| LAU | Freguesia/Junta Freguesia | |
| - location | Largo Monsenhor Moreira Neto, Quinchães, Monte Córdova, Santo Tirso | |
| President Junta | Manuel da Silva Ferreira Leal (PPD-PSD) | |
| President Assembleia | Manuel de Sousa Leal Ferreira (PPD-PSD) | |
| Timezone | WET (UTC0) | |
| - summer (DST) | WEST (UTC+1) | |
| ISO 3166-2 code | PT- | |
| Postal Zone | 4825-284 Monte Córdova | |
| Area Code & Prefix | (+351) 252 XXX XXX | |
| Demonym | Cordovense | |
| Patron Saint | São Salvador | |
| Parish Address | Largo Monsenhor Moreira Neto, Quinchães 4825-284 Monte Córdova |
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| Wikimedia Commons: Monte Córdova (Santo Tirso) | ||
| Statistics: Instituto Nacional de Estatística[1] | ||
| Website: http://www.jf-montecordova.pt | ||
| Geographic detail from CAOP (2010)[2] produced by Instituto Geográfico Português (IGP) | ||
Monte Córdova is a civil parish in Portuguese municipality of Santo Tirso, located 4 kilometres east of the municipal seat. In 2001, its population was 3669 inhabitants, in an area of 16.80 km2 (6.49 sq mi): it is the largest parish by the area in the municipality.
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São Salvador de Monte Córdova is an ancient parish that was first mentioned in recorded documents in 959.[3]
Roman forces occupied this region, in order to pacify its populous, as part of its occupation from the Pyranees to Atlantic, Canterbury to the Mediterranean.[3] They forced a restructuring of society, promoting the occupation of the open plains rather then the hilltops, which were typical at the time. The difficulty encountered by the Romans in this area, resulted in the Greek historian Strabo identifying the Lusitanian region and its peoples are the most powerful groups in the Iberian peninsula.[3]
On Monte Padrão existed the ruins of a castro. The castro of Monte Padrão, until the end of the 16th century, existed as the parochial church, being under the primitive monastery of Celanova, in Galicia.[3]
The civil parish of Monte Córdova is situated 30 kilometres from Porto, and accessible through the EN105 motorway to many of the local communities, including Braga, Famalição Municipality|Famalicão and Guimarães.[3]
For many centuries, the geomorphology of the terrain was responsible for the relative isolation of its populations.[3] The parish is located at about 410-420 metres above sea level, in an area called the Agrela da Assunção escarpment.[3] Alto de Cabanas is one of the best natural lookouts in the region, and the area of Valinhas, with its monumental oak forests and curious chapel, near the Fervença waterfalls (or the Leça River), are almost obligatory natural sites of the landscape.[3]
For a long time Monte Córdova was considered the breadbasket of Santo Tirso (Portuguese: Celeiro de Santo Tirso).[3] But, primary activities have diminished considerably over time: in fact, the totality of the lands cultivated today only provide subsistence resources for the local community, or to compliment family income. The secondary economic activities are dominated by industrial activities such as sawmilling, carpentry and associated services.[3]
The parish of Monte Córdova is proud of the many cultural monuments and buildings that are spread throughout its territory, but the following have been classified in the National Registry of Patrimony by IGESPAR:
Annually, there are pilgrimages in honour of São Salvador, in the area of Santa Luzia involving its 12th century chapel.[3]