Chaves, Portugal

Chaves is sheltered by mountains on both sides

Chaves is in the extreme north of Portugal, bounded on the north by Galicia (Spain), on the east by the municipalities of Vinhais and Valpaços, on the south by the municipality of Vila Pouca de Aguiar and on the west by the municipalities of Montalegre and Boticas. Chaves is one of the six municipalities of the Alto Tâmega, situated in the district of Vila Real, strategically positioned in the northwest of the Iberian peninsula and accessed by important international highways.

The region is dominated by the Quaternary Chaves sedimentary basin, a graben aligned on a north-northeast to south-southwest orientation bounded by the Hercynian massif and metamorphic schistose formations.[17] Mixed with the schistose complex, there are bands of graphitic slates, mainly in the southern part of the urbanized area of Chaves and south-east of Faiões.[17] To the north, and into Galicia, the basin extends into the depression of the Verin Basin. One of the oldest formations in the region, it dates back to the Ordovician period ( between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago), is composed of schist and graywacke deposits.[17] During the Ordovician-Silurian geological periods quartzites and schists were formed, metamorphosed by Hercynian granitic intrusions, at the end of the Paleozoic.[17]

A glimpse of the sedimentary Chaves basin, consisting of the parishes of Santa Maria Maior and Madalena

The Alpine orogeny was the main cause of extensive tectonic activities and it was responsible for the formation of the hydrothermal field within the region.[18] The Chaves graben was formed by the relative motion of the block with different types of sediments being settled. The most recent formations are a sedimentary series (lacustrine, alluvial, colluvial, detritic, etc.) with variable thickness that had their origin during the Miocene.[18][19] Two main faults cross and influence the tectonic activities: the north-northeast by south-southeast Chaves-Verin Fault and a fault system crossing near Faiões and Santo Estêvão.[18] The first fault developed from late Hercynian tectonic episode occurring between 280 and 300 million years ago, that developed into an almost north-south direction into the lithosphere.[18][20] Intense neotectonic activity reactivated these old fractures, originating in a complex pattern of faults in the sedimentary basin.[18]

Mineral waters are the clearest evidence of these recent tectonic fractures. The Penacova-Régua-Verín Fault, is an active formation that extends longitudinally for 500 kilometres, intermingled with other faults resulting in subterranean hydrology.[18] The thermal springs, principally those in Campilho and Salus Vidago (in Vila de Vidago) have developed from this mixture of circumstances. With temperatures reaching 73 °C (163 °F), these mineral springs (bicarbonates, sodium, silicates and fluoride) in the vicinity of the city of Chaves, have provided a potential source of income.[18]

The hot springs (Portuguese: Caldas) were known since the Roman period, when the town was Aquae Flaviae; the Waters of Flavius were an important social gathering point, but fell into disuse as the town was slowly abandoned by attacks. The spas belong to a vast area of hydrothermal springs that stretch from Verín (in Galicia) to Pedras Salgadas, 30 km from Chaves (on the road to Vila Real). Despite its vastness and abundance of water, this thermal system is little utilized; of the nine groups of thermal springs there are only adequate installations in four of them: Chaves, Carvalhelhos, Vidago, Pedras Salgadas, and Verín. The waters of the spring, that are captured in three springs within Chaves, have mean temperatures of 73 °C (163 °F) (the hottest bicarbonate waters in Europe). The modern spa industry in Chaves use these waters for numerous treatments, including stomach, liver, intestinal, and kidney ailments, through oral ingestion. Many small guesthouses in the old part of the town are dependent on the influx of these visitors. The thermal spas are located between the castle and the river, in front of a large area of grass-covered park with playgrounds and tennis courts.

An example of the winter climate in Chaves, in the shadow of the Castle Keep

Chaves has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with continental and oceanic influences.

The mountains between the Minho region and Trás-os-Montes serve as a climatic barrier and lessen rainfall closer to the interior. Places such as the Peneda-Gerês National Park, only 50 km (31 mi) away, can have up to five times the amount of precipitation Chaves gets in a year. Winters can be cold; January highs rarely surpass 15 °C (59 °F) and lows are often below zero. Fog often hovers over the valley during the winter, usually lifting by midday, but on rare occasions can last for days. Cold fronts in the winter can often cause daytime temperatures to drop below 5 °C (41 °F). Snow is infrequent, especially in recent years although the surrounding hills often receive a dusting. Temperatures in July and August frequently pass 30 °C (86 °F) with nighttime temperatures dropping to 13–14 °C (55–57 °F). Summer brush fires can often make this season unpleasant although in recent years they have diminished, perhaps because most of the forest cover has been burnt. Chaves is one of the few places in Portugal with a dry March. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Chaves was −8.5 °C (16.7 °F) on 22 January 1983.

Government is administrated by the Municipal Chamber of Chaves (Portuguese: Câmara Municipal de Chaves), while locally the municipality is divided into the following parishes (freguesias):[22]

In the past 127 years, the municipality has seen a 29% increase in local population (from 31815 in 1864 to 40940 in 1991). This was not a gradual nor homogeneous increase, since there were periods of extreme growth or rapid decline. During the 20th century, growth after 1920 is notably influenced by the restriction of trans-Atlantic emigration, just like after 1991, the population decreases were associated with liberal emigration policies as a result of the Maastricht Treaty.

The parish populations have seen fluctuations, although the most recent census show that 31 of these agglomerations had population levels in 1991 much lower than their first tabulation. Further, analysis of the data identifies that the municipal increase (29%) was primarily from the more urbanized parishes, while peripheral rural/mountainous parishes show net decreases. Many of the local people have emigrated to settlements in northern Europe in addition to France, but commonly return or visit their villages for weddings or village festivals.

Chaves has been isolated from the coastal urban centers and has suffered from a lack of convenient road communications. Recently, a new four-lane highway (A24) was opened to traffic. It links Chaves to Vila Real, and to the border with Spain. In Vila Pouca de Aguiar the highway also connects with the A7 that leads to Porto.

Chaves nighlife

The population of the city encompasses 17,535 residents in the parishes of Santa Cruz-Trinidade, Madalena, and Santa Maria Maior: these parishes form the urbanized population of the city of Chaves.

Although many of the older buildings outside the historical walls were demolished to make way for apartment blocks, the medieval quarter with its Rua Direita and Rua de Santo António have been declared historic zones. In these areas there are narrow multi-story dwellings, whose origin has been limited by the walled city. Historically, the old quarter was the city, and few buildings were located outside its walls, since its frontier location and the imminent risk of invasion impeded the construction of homes outside the barriers. Consequently, space was limited and land primarily used for multi-purpose dwellings, resulting in very narrow streets and multi-story structures (with balconies that extend over the streets and protected the citizenry). Many of the lower floors were occupied by shops or small businesses, while the residents lived in the upper stories. Remnants of these verandas are still visible in the medieval quarter.

The walled city was at the forefront of the political turmoils during the Reconquista, transited by armies and sacked by enemies. Chaves was built, destroyed, and rebuilt several times by either faction (Christian and Muslim), when they occupied the castle (it is likely that for some periods the town was completely abandoned). In 1253, Afonso III supported the reconstruction of the castle. By 1258, Chaves was granted the status of a vila (or town). While the walls were eventually rebuilt, the advent of artillery would make the castle's fortifications obsolete, and its importance waned, while the historical battlements fell into ruins.

On 15 November 2009 an extensive green space on the east side of the Tâmega River, between the Engenheiro Carmona Bridge and the Public Gardens, was opened to the public. It is an area with playgrounds, pedestrian and cycling paths, a beach football pitch, and a large grassy area. A modern pedestrian bridge was constructed to link the park and recreational area with the hot springs on the west bank of the river. At the same time cycling and walking paths were built on both banks of the river extending north for several kilometers. The pedestrian bridge, which is approximately 90 ft, is Chave's tallest and most expensive bridge.

It is serviced by A24 motorway, which links Chaves with the south, to Viseu, Coimbra and Figueira da Foz, connecting to Vila Pouca de Aguiar by the A7 (which acts as the gateway to the southern Trás-os-Montes), and the N103 from Bragança to Braga. Chaves is located 415 kilometres from Lisbon, 105 kilometres from Porto and just 55 kilometres from the district capital, Vila Real.

Between 1921 and 1990 Chaves was the northern terminus station of the Corgo line, a narrow gauge railway line which linked Chaves with Vila Real and Regua (the junction station for main line trains to Porto). The section between Chaves and Vila Real closed in 1990 and the remainder of the line closed in 2009.

Chaves Airport, a small, single runway airport for light aircraft, also serves the town.

The Romanesque facade of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Azinheira

The front facade of the parochial Church of Santa Maria Maior, former cathedral dating to the 11th century

The Church of the Misercórdia, built in the 17th century, is the dynastic resting place for some members of the House of Braganza

The ornate rooftop of the Baroque-influence Church of São João de Deus, commonly known as the Church of Madalena

Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Lapa

In addition to the old Church of São Francisco (which for three centuries was resting place of the first Duke of Braganza), there are other buildings which have been artistically converted into hotel rooms, and which served the army as barracks for many years.[24]

• UTAD, ed. (1992), Evaluation of Geothermal Resources Between Lamego e Vila Verde da Raia: Geological Final Report (Program JGULE/ECE-JOUG-0009-C), Vila Real, Portugal: Universidade de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD)
• Monteiro Santos, F.A.; Dupis, A.; Andrade Afonso, A.R.; Mendes-Victor, L.A. (1995), "Magnetotelluric Observations Over the Chaves Geothermal Field (NE Portugal): Preliminary Results", Phys. Earth Planet. Inter., pp. 208–211
• Santos, Fernando Ackio Monteiro; Afonso, Anthio Roque Andrade; Victor, Luis Alberto Mendes (1997), "Study of the Chaves Geothermal Field Using 3D Resistivity Modeling", Journal of Applied Geophysics (PDF), Cambridge, England: Elsevier, pp. 85–102
• CUP, ed. (1970). History of Portugal: Pamphlet Collection. CUP Archive. ISBN 1-00-128780-0.
• Thompson, E. A. (1982), Romans and Barbarians: The Decline of the Western Empire, Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press, ISBN 0-299-08700-X
• Southey, Robert (1827), The History of the Peninsular War, 2, London, England: John Murray