MATOSINHOS

THE CITY

Matosinhos is a Portuguese city belonging to Oporto, Northern Region and subregion of Grande Porto, with 45.703 inhabitants (2001) divided by two parishes (Leça da Palmeira and Matosinhos) in both sides from the mouth of the river Leça.

Leixões Harbor is located in the city of Matosinhos.
Throughout its history, Matosinhos was connected to the monastery of Bouças, to be quite old, being its construction prior to 944. In the year of 900 there was already a small town with the name of Matesinus, the one you, in 1258, would call Matusiny, a place of the parish of Sandim.

Matosinhos is a land of recent Portuguese patterns and, therefore has no very particular aspects, being highly influenced by the city of Porto. Matosinhos integrates fishing traditions of the north coast, the strongest in the city, but also rural traditions of the hinterland. The main party in Matosinhos is Senhor Matosinhos, whose origin is an ancient legend in which an icon appeared on the beach.

Matosinhos was until recently a highly industrialized city, which has dedicated itself to the tertiary sector. However, still keeps legacy of peak oil industry. Matosinhos has the most important door of Grande Porto, the Leixões Harbor, the largest artificial harbor in Portugal, built at the end of the nineteenth century and Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport which is also located here.
It is also in this region, specifically in the village of Leça da Palmeira, where Clube Naval de Leça is located, the club which will organize the Vaurien World Championship from the 2nd to the 9th August 2008.

For further information about the city and it’s history or tourism, please visit the website from the city hall of Matosinhos in www.cm-matosinhos.pt