"Vila Real, Queen of Tras-os-Montes " a Vila Real Travel Page by heliopinto

The photo was taken from:
O País visto do céu

The region is inhabited since the Paleolithic. There are remains of human settlements in following times like the Sanctuary of Panoias and vestiges of Roman, Barbarian and Muslim occupations.
In 1096 the Count D. Henrique, father of D. Afonso Henriques, the first portuguese king, established Constantim of Panoias.
The city of Vila Real was established in 1289, by the king D. Dinis.
In 1530 there were some 480 inhabitants which grew to 3600 in 1795. The growth was mainly because of it's geographical position between coastal regions and the interior, in the crossroad of 2 important roads, Porto - Bragança and Viseu - Chaves.
In centuries XVII and XVIII, many noblemen move to Vila Real, due to the presence of a powerful noble house, the "Casa dos Marqueses".
In the early XX century, Vila Real sees it's importance recognized with the creation of a diocese and the attribution of district capital.

Vila Real is located in the margin of Corgo river, a tributary of the Douro river, at an altitude of about 400m.
Although it is a city with urban features, still has traces of it's rural origins.
It is marked by two types of landscapes: in the North and West, by the mountainious region of Marão and Alvão mountains, separated by the fertile valley of Campeã; and southwards, with the vicinity of Douro river, predominate the terraced vineyards.
Everywhere ther are small water lines, with emphasis to the Corgo river, which forms a deep canyon of singular beauty while crossing the city.