Matosinhos

Not to be confused with Matozinhos.

Matosinhos
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 41°11′N 8°42′W
Country	Portugal
Region	Norte
Metropolitan area	Porto
District	Porto
Parishes	4
Government
• President	Luísa Salgueiro (PS)
Area
• Total	62.42 km2 (24.10 sq mi)
Population  (2021)
• Total	172,557
• Density	2,800/km2 (7,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+00:00 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+01:00 (WEST)
Website	http://www.cm-matosinhos.pt

Matosinhos (Portuguese pronunciation: [mɐtuˈziɲuʃ] ) is a city and a municipality in the district of Porto in Portugal. The municipality covers an area of approximately 62.42 square kilometres (24.10 sq mi) and had 172,557 inhabitants in 2021. It is bordered by the municipalities of Porto to the south, Maia to the east and Vila do Conde to the north and the Atlantic Ocean lies to its west. It is a part of the Porto metropolitan area, the second largest urban area in Portugal.

The city of Matosinhos is the seat of the municipality and it is located at the mouth of the Leça River, only 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) away from Porto's city center. It comprises the parish of Matosinhos and Leça da Palmeira, which had 49,034 inhabitants in 2021. There are two other cities within the municipality, São Mamede de Infesta and Senhora da Hora, in the east of the municipality.

History

Origins and roman era

The oldest traces of human settlement in this territory extend back thousands of years and include instruments and Paleolithic artifacts found in beaches such as Boa Nova and Almeiriga. The land's settlement began around 5000 years ago, during the Neolithic, as evidenced from various funeral monuments and dolmens in Lavra, Perafita, Leça do Balio, Santa Cruz do Bispo, Guifões and São Gens.

At the end of the Bronze Age, settlements expanded into castros, proto-urban agglomerations at high altitudes. These existed in the northwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula and predominated until the 1st century. Remnants of castros remain throughout the municipality, the most notable being Castro of Monte Castelo in Guifões, by the estuary of the Leça river.

After the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the 1st century BC, the territory's was developed to support communication and commerce. New roads and bridges were built, including a road between the roman cities of Cale (Porto) and Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Ponte da Pedra, a bridge over the Leça river. The navigability of the estuary of the Leça River permitted goods from the Roman Empire to be discharged in the area of Castro of Monte Castelo and distributed to other sites within the region. Around the 4th and 5th centuries, a Roman villa and salt production structures were built in Angeiras (Lavra), in the north of the municipality.

Middle Ages

Between the 5th and 7th centuries, the area became a part of the Kingdom of the Suebi and later the Visigothic Kingdom. During this period, Castro of Monte Castelo was abandoned, while the previous Roman settlement in Angeiras remained populated and included a monastery, as referred in the administrative document Parochiale suevorum.

During the 10th century, the Monastery of Bouças was founded in Bouças de Baixo, in the northeast of the modern city of Matosinhos. It housed the image of Bom Jesus (Good Jesus) of Bouças (nowadays of Matosinhos), an important religious item locally. A settlement gradually grew around the monastery, leading to the creation of the administrative centre of the Julgado de Bouças in the 13th century. When Portugal was established in the 12th century, a settlement called Vila de Matesinum already existed. One of the first official records referring to Matusiny dates from 1258, the result of Inquiries of Afonso III. At that time Matosinhos was a humble location, part of the parish of Sandim.

The facade of the Monastery of Leça de Balio

Also during the 10th century, the Monastery of Leça do Balio was established near Ponte da Pedra. In the 12th century, likely between 1112 and 1128, Theresa, countess of Portugal donates the monastery to the Ordem Militar dos Cavaleiros Hospitalários (the Portuguese version of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta), where they establish their first presence in Portugal. In 1140, Afonso I, king of Portugal attributes jurisdiction to the order of Malta jurisdiction over the parishes of Leça, Custóias, Barreiros, Gueifães and S. Mamede. The Order of Malta also maintained several other properties, that included monasteries of Lavra, Moreira and Aldoar.

By the end of the 14th century, the small community of Franciscan friars installed themselves along the beach of Boa Nova, founding the Oratory of São Clement das Penhas. This small convent would give rise to the Convent of Conceição de Leça, which was founded in the 15th century, where the municipal park of Quinta da Conceição exists nowadays.

Modern era

In 1514, Matosinhos received a foral (charter) from King Manuel I, asserting it as an important agricultural center. Matosinhos becomes an important supplier of goods to Porto, at a time when the parishes of Ramalde, Foz and Aldoar were part of the territory of Matosinhos.

The public square and the Church of Matosinhos

During the 16th century, the church of Matosinhos was built and the image of Bom Jesus (Good Jesus) was transferred there from the Monastery of Bouças. As people from Matosinhos emigrate to Brazil during the Age of Discoveries, the cult to the image grows abroad, culminating with the founding of the Confraria do São Salvador de Bouças during the 17th century. Supported by the growing worship and the gold mined in Brazil, the church was remodeled in the 18th century by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. The architect had worked in other projects in the municipality, such as the estates of Chantre (Leça do Balio) and Bispo (Santa Cruz do Bispo), as well as the Chapel of São Francisco (in the Quinta do Conceição).

In 1638, a decision was taken by the count of Penaguião, D. João Sá e Menezes, to build the Fort of Leça da Palmeira. The fort would be located in the northern shore of the Leça river estuary and it would improve coastal defenses near Porto. The fort would receive its first garrison in 1646, but it wasn't until 1720 that construction was completed. By 1844, the fort no longer hosted a garrison or served a military purpose, instead being repurposed for civil functions.

In 1832, during the Liberal Wars an army under the command of D. Pedro disembarked in the beach in Arnosa do Pampelido, starting a military offensive in continental Portugal that would depose the conservative traditionalists in favor of the liberal constitutionalists. In 1862, an obelisk made of granite was inaugurated celebrating this victory, including a speech attributed to the king believed to have said prior to disembarking.

A turn-of-the-century perspective in Matosinhos: part of the annual sardine fishing season

In 1833, during the administrative reforms, the municipality of Bouças was created, encompassing the localities of Bouças, Guifões, Leça da Palmeira, Nevogilde, Ramalde and Lordelo do Ouro. In 1836, it was expanded to include the localities of Aldoar, Custoias, Infesta, Leça do Balio, Santa Cruz do Bispo, Lavra, Perafita and Paranhos (until 1837), the majority of which had been a part of the old Couto de Leça, while Lordelo do Ouro was ceded to Porto municipality. As the seat of the municipality with 500 households, Bouças was elevated into a town in the locality of Senhora da Hora. In 1853, the seat was moved to the newly established town of Matosinhos, encompassing the civil parishes of Matosinhos and Leça da Palmeira. In 1985, the municipality underwent its last territorial changes, when the localities of Nevogilde, Ramalde and Aldoar were transferred to Porto, upon the opening of circunvalação, a ring road around Porto that would define its city limits. In 1909, the municipality changed its name to Matosinhos, since locality of Bouças had lost its significance.

On the Matosinhos waterfront, She Changes sculpture by artist Janet Echelman

At the end of the 19th century, the Port of Leixões was constructed to provide a sheltered port to service the city of Porto, which supported Matosinhos's fishing industry and led to the development of a local fish canning industry. Production and exports of canned fish in Matosinhos rose during the world wars and peaked between 1940 and 1960, when there were a total of 54 factories. Between 1970 and 1989, the industry started declining and several factories closed down.

The Port of Leixões and the fishing industry contributed to economic development and a growth in resident population and in 1984 Matosinhos became a city.

In 2005, the municipality funded a public sculpture to be built in the Waterfront Plaza of Matosinhos. The resulting sculpture is entitled She Changes by American artist, Janet Echelman, and spans the height of 50x150x150 meters.

Geography

A view of the beaches of Matosinhos

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 4 civil parishes (freguesias):

• Custóias, Leça do Balio e Guifões
• Matosinhos e Leça da Palmeira
• Perafita, Lavra e Santa Cruz do Bispo
• São Mamede de Infesta e Senhora da Hora

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Portugal

Matosinhos is twinned with:

• Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain (1959)
• Congonhas, Brazil (1986)
• Mérignac, France (1988)
• Angolares, São Tomé and Príncipe (1989)
• Mansoa, Guinea-Bissau (1992)
• São Filipe, Cape Verde (1992)
• Nacala, Mozambique (1997)

Since 1994, Matosinhos has had a cooperation agreement with Luanda, Angola.

Economy

Oil refinery of Galp Energia in Leça da Palmeira.

The international Leixões Cruise Terminal and a large oil refinery of Galp Energia, are located in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos. EFACEC, a leading Portuguese company in the electromechanics industry, is headquartered in the city. Pedro Hispano Hospital (after Pedro Hispano), is one of the most comprehensive state-run hospitals of Portugal, and serves the entire Porto Metropolitan Area.

In 2020, Galp Energia announced that the oil refinery would cease functions starting in 2021, deciding to focus all operations in the oil refinery in Sines instead.

Fishing and the fish canning industry remain present in Matosinhos, although only 3 canning factories remain: Conservas Portugal Norte, Fábrica de Conservas Pinhais and Conservas Ramirez.

Transport

The view of the economic heart of the municipality: the Port of Leixões

The municipality is served by the Porto Metro, a light rail system with frequent services. Line A provides services between the city centers of Matosinhos and Porto, via Senhora da Hora. Lines B, C and E also service areas of the municipality between Senhora da Hora and Vila do Conde, Maia and the airport respectively.

A bus network exists across the municipality provided by various operators. In 2024, a united network of bus services across Porto's metropolitan area was founded called UNIR (Portuguese for unite), in an attempt to improve service and public transportation use. STCP, the main bus provider in Porto municipality remains separate from this network and provides services between Matosinhos and Porto.

A railway line exists connecting the Port of Leixões with Contumil in Porto, called Linha de leixões. This line has mainly been used to transport cargo, despite an attempt to run passenger services in 2011. In December 2024, the line should reopen for passenger services between Contumil and Leça do Balio, with stops in São Gemil, Arroteia, Hospital S. João and S. Mamede de Infesta. This should allow for direct services to Campanhã in Porto and to Ovar in the district of Aveiro. An extension of the service is being considered until the Port of Leixões, by the terminus of the Porto Metro's line A.

For international travel, the Porto airport is located partly in Matosinhos municipality, while the Port of Leixões regularly receives cruise ships in its cruise terminal.

Sport

Football

Matosinhos municipality is home to Portuguese top flight club Leixões Sport Club as well as Leça Futebol Clube and other minor clubs that include:

• Leixões Sport Club
• Leça Futebol Clube
• Sport Clube Senhora da Hora
• Futebol Clube de Infesta
• Padroense
• Futebol Clube de Perafita
• Juventude de Matosinhos
• Seara Futebol Clube

Futsal

• ARCD Junqueira

Motorsport

• World Rally Championship – Rally de Portugal an annual event held in May over 3 days with special stages contested in the surrounding areas including Guimarães Castle, Lousada rallycross circuit, Viana do Castelo, Braga, Cabreira Mountains and Fafe.

Notable people

Manuel da Silva Passos, 1886

Fernando Nogueira, 2015

Catarina Pereira, 2008

• Passos Manuel (1801–1862) a jurist and politician, a notable Portuguese Liberal
• José Domingues dos Santos (1885–1958) a Portuguese politician, professor and journalist
• António Soares Carneiro (1928–2014), a general in the Portuguese Army and governor of Portuguese Angola
• Isabel Meyrelles (born 1929) a Portuguese surrealist sculptor and poet
• Álvaro Siza Vieira (born 1933), architect and architectural educator
• Fernando Nogueira (born 1950) a Portuguese lawyer and former politician
• Luísa Salgueiro (born 1968) a Portuguese politician, legal consultant and mayor of Matosinhos

Sport

• João Fonseca (born 1948), known as Fonseca, a retired football goalkeeper with 390 club caps
• Tamagnini Batista (born 1949), known as Nené a retired footballer with 421 club caps and 41 for Portugal
• Chico Faria (1949–2004), a Portuguese footballer with 334 club caps
• Lúcio Pereira (born 1954), a Portuguese retired football goalkeeper with 466 club caps
• Zé Beto (1960–1990) a Portuguese goalkeeper with 120 club caps
• Sérgio Nunes (born 1974) a Portuguese retired footballer with 465 club caps
• Pedro Soeiro (born 1975) a Portuguese former professional road cyclist
• Carlos Fangueiro (born 1976), known as Fangueiro, a retired footballer with 373 club caps
• Hélder Sousa (born 1977) a Portuguese former footballer with 583 club caps
• Filipe Anunciação (born 1979) a football manager and former player with 362 club caps
• Nuno Santos (born 1980) a former footballer with 389 club caps
• Sérgio Silva (born 1980), known as Pedras, a former footballer with 506 club caps
• Hugo Moreira (born 1982) a Portuguese retired footballer with 357 club caps
• Bruno China (born 1982), a Portuguese former footballer with 366 club caps
• André Simões (born 1989) a Portuguese footballer with over 350 club caps
• Fábio Cecílio (born 1993) a Portuguese futsal player with 100 caps for Portugal

See also

• Leixões