Agadão

Agadão
Civil Parish (Freguesia)
Coat of arms
Official name: Freguesia de Agadão
Country  Portugal
Region Centro
Sub-region Baixo Vouga
District Aveiro
Municipality Águeda
Localities Alcafaz, Bertufo, Boa Aldeia, Caselho, Corga da Serra, Felgueira, Foz, Guistola, Guistolinha, Lázaro, Lomba, Lousa, Povinho, Sobreira, Vila Mendo
Center Agadão
 - coordinates 40°32′23″N 8°18′52″W / 40.53972°N 8.31444°WCoordinates: 40°32′23″N 8°18′52″W / 40.53972°N 8.31444°W
Length 5.47 km (3 mi), West-East
Width 9.87 km (6 mi), North-South
Area 39.40 km2 (15 sq mi)
Population 496 (2001)
Density 12.59 / km2 (33 / sq mi)
LAU Freguesia/Junta Freguesia
 - location Largo do Cruzeiro, Lomba, Agadão, Águeda
President Junta António Farias dos Santos (PPD-PSD)
Timezone WET (UTC0)
 - summer (DST) WEST (UTC+1)
ISO 3166-2 code PT-
Postal Zone 3750-000 Agadão
Area Code & Prefix (+351) 917 XXX-XXXX
Patron Saint Santa Maria Madelana
Parish Address Largo do Cruzeiro - Lomba
3750-017 Agadão
Website: http://agadaonanet.blogspot.com
Statistics from INE (2001); geographic detail from Instituto Geográfico Português (2010)

Agadão is a Portuguese civil parish located in Águeda Municipality in the Baixo Vouga Subregion. Its population was less than 500 inhabitants from the 2001 census, in an area of 35.34 km² (14 inhabitants/km²); it is the second largest parish in area, penultimate center of population (and consequently second-least dense parish).

History

Agadão was created when the religious parish was de-annexed from Castanheira do Vouga, to establish a new faith community. During the first construction of the main church, around 1220, the manors of Vila Mendo de Cima and Vila Mendo de Baixo within Agadão, were being audited by King Afonso II, as part of his revisions to property rights.

The lands of the parish later pertained to the Counts of Feira, until the last Count Fernando Forjaz Pereira Pimentel de Menezes e Silva died in 1700 without an heir, and those lands were transferred to the Casa do Infantado (that included several seigneurial holdings confiscated from the Spanish after the Portuguese Restoration War).

The parishes church was constructed in the 18th Century on the hilltop locality of Lomba. But the region also includes many minor chapels scattered throughout the villages and hamlets, some in various states of decay or degradation, such as: Chapel of Menino Jesus (Caselho), Chapel of São Bartolomeu (Alcafaz), Chapel of Senhora da Paz (Sobreira), Chapel of Santa Bárbara (Felgueira), Chapel of São Tomé (Guístola) and the Chapel of São João (Catraia).

Geography

Agadão is situated in the southeast corner of the municipality of Águeda, occupying the valley at the foot of the Serra do Caramulo, sustained by the Agadão River (a tributary of the Águeda River), that meanders north to south. It is located approximately 16 kilometers from the municipal seat.

Its immediate neighbors include the parishes of Belazaima do Chão (along the southwest), Castanheira do Vouga (to the northwest), as well as the parishes of Pala in the southern municipality of Mortágua, and Mosteirinho and São João do Monte in the eastern municipality of Tondela.

Economy

In addition to agriculture, the forestry sector and industry are the dominant economic activities in the local villages.[1] Another of the main industries is water-bottling, which has supported the economy of this parish, and primarily of the village of Alcafaz.

Architecture

Religious

Culture

The parish's gastronomic specialties include chanfana (a rich lamb stew cook in a cast-iron pot slowly for 5 hours) and broa de milho (a traditional bread made from corn and wheat flour).

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Redacção Soberania (31-10-2008)
Sources