Monção () is a town and municipality in the Alto Minho subregion of Portugal. It is situated on the southern bank of the Minho River, which serves as the natural border between Portugal and Spain. Directly across the river lies the Spanish town of Salvaterra de Miño, with which it forms the Monção–Salvaterra de Miño Eurocity. The population in 2011 was 19,230,Instituto Nacional de Estatística in an area of 211.31 km2. The current mayor is the Social Democrat António Barbosa. The municipal holiday is March 12.
Etymology According to the linguist José Pedro Machado, the name Monção comes from the Latin , which means mountainous, or of the mountain.
However, according to other authors, such as C. Clark and Dorothy Quillinan, the name comes from the medieval Latin name Mons Sanctum, meaning “Holy Mountain,” which in turn would have been a translation of the settlement’s ancient name, Orosion, which would have been used by the Greeks and later by the Suebi.
Until January 1935, Monção was also spelt as Monsão.
In neighbouring Spain, amongst older generations, Monção is known as Monzón, reflecting a direct translation of the Portuguese word monção, which also means “monsoon.”
History Monção received a foral (charter) from King Afonso III dated March 12th of 1261. It became famous in the course of the Fernandine Wars, due to the unparalleled action of Deu-la-deu Martins, the alcaide’s wife, which managed to end the siege imposed by Castile, by throwing their last food reserves over the walls. This is why even today, in the town’s coat of arms, a woman appears half-length, atop a tower, brandishing a loaf of bread in each hand; around her appears the town’s motto: «God gave it, God has given it», a corruption of the heroine’s name.
Geography
Climate Monção has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with mild, rainy winters and hot dry summers. Although short, the summer season is dry enough to avoid being classified has a humid subtropical climate or an oceanic climate like nearby Vigo.
Administration
Administrative subdivisions Administratively, the municipality is divided into 24 civil parishes (freguesias):
Abedim Anhões e Luzio Barbeita Barroças e Taias Bela Cambeses Ceivães e Badim Lara Longos Vales Mazedo e Cortes Merufe Messegães, Valadares e Sá Monção e Troviscoso Moreira Pias Pinheiros Podame Portela Riba de Mouro Sago, Lordelo e Parada Segude Tangil Troporiz e Lapela Trute
Demographics Population of Monção Municipality (1801–2011) 1801 1849 1900 1930 1960 1981 1991 2001 2011 12,095 14,983 26,077 24,585 27,393 23,799 21,799 19,956 19,230
Notable people Joaquim Pereira Pimenta de Castro (1846–1918), a Portuguese army officer and politician José Gomes Temporão (born 1951), a Brazilian doctor and Minister of Health of Brazil, from 2007 to 2010. Fernando Vilar (born 1954), a Uruguayan journalist and news anchor.
See also Vinho Verde, a wine variety common to the Alto Minho Brejoeira Palace Mercy Charitys's Church of Valadares Longos Vales's Monastery Castelo de Monção
References
External links Official website Quinta de Santo Antonio