Montalegre

File:Castelo de Montalegre..jpg

Early construction in Montalegre date back 3500–4000 years when early inhabitants, around the villages of Mourela, Veiga and Vila da Ponte, buried their dead in funeral mounds.{{cite web|editor=Gabinete de Informática|location=Montalegre, Portugal|publisher=Câmara Municipal de Montalegre|language=Portuguese|title=Resenha Histórica|url=https://www.cm-montalegre.pt/pages/447}} Vestiges of this culture predominate the region, and suggest that settlements have been ongoing since the Metal Ages.

Celt colonies began to appear afterward, constructing castros in many of the places that developed into formal settlements. With the arrival of the Romans, bridges and formal roads began to appear, while many of the castros began to be converted into Roman encampments, later the nuclei of formalized settlements. Remains of the Roman civitas are still common: Praesidium (in Vila da Ponte, popularly known as Sabaraz) and Caladunum (in Cervos).

There were no overt indications that the Moors settled in this region, although oral tradition inferred as much.

With the establishment of the Christian kingdom of Portugal, Afonso Henriques donated portions of the land for charitable hospices (Salto), hospitals (Vilar de Perdizes and Dornelas) or monasteries (Pitões). Owing to its location, on the border with Galiza, defense fortifications were constructed, including the Castles of Gerês and Piconha, and later in Portelo and the village of Montalegre. A lighthouse was also constructed in Tourém, likely by King Sancho in 1187, since he was the master of the Terras da Piconha region.

It was only in September 1273 that King Afonso III bestowed on the citizens a foral (charter), founding the town of Montalegre and making the local sheriff the master of the Terras de Barroso. The foral was later confirmed by King Denis in 1289, and renewed by Afonso IV (in 1340), John II (in 1491), and Manuel (in 1515).The 1515 foral, not only renewed the town charter, but also provided for the upgrade of the lighthouse.

After the Portuguese Interregnum, during the reign of John I, the Terras de Barroso were offered as a gift to Nuno Álvares Pereira for his support.

In 1809, French troops had problems in the region, during the Peninsular Wars, fighting off the Barrosões, in Misarela.

On 6 November 1836, the municipality of Montalegre was divided, in order to create the municipality of Boticas. In course, the parishes of Vilar de Vacas was lost to the neighbouring municipality of Vieira do Minho, and later the parish of Couto Misto de Santiago de Rubiás, was also de-annexed.

Contemporary history of the municipality has been marked by growing emigration, the result of the lack of economic recourse and the abandonment of traditional activities. The institutionalization of local government permitted a revitalization in the municipality, after the Carnation Revolution, which saw a growth in tertiary activities.

File:Barragem alto rabagao.jpg and reservoir, central to four parishes of the municipality]] Montalegre is one of the two municipalities that compose the region of Barroso. The Peneda-Gerês National Park comprises 26,26% of its area (211,74 km² out of a total 806,19 km² belonging to that park).

At an elevation of {{convert|1000|m|0|abbr=on}} above sea level, Montalegre has a cool Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb). There is a short dry season in summer, but overall plenty of precipitation annually. The average annual temperature is around {{convert|10|C|F|abbr=on}} and the average annual rainfall is around {{convert|1400|mm|in|abbr=on}}. The driest month is July, with {{convert|23|mm|in|abbr=on}}. Most precipitation falls in December, with an average of {{convert|252|mm|in|abbr=on}}.

Summers are pleasant and dry, and winters are chilly and snowy.

{{Weather box

|location = Montalegre, elevation: {{convert|1005|m|abbr=on|disp=or}}, 1989-2018 normals

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan high C = 8.2

|Feb high C = 9.0

|Mar high C = 11.7

|Apr high C = 13.6

|May high C = 17.3

|Jun high C = 22.0

|Jul high C = 25.0

|Aug high C = 25.2

|Sep high C = 21.3

|Oct high C = 16.0

|Nov high C = 11.0

|Dec high C = 8.6

|year high C =

|Jan mean C =

|Feb mean C =

|Mar mean C =

|Apr mean C =

|May mean C =

|Jun mean C =

|Jul mean C =

|Aug mean C =

|Sep mean C =

|Oct mean C =

|Nov mean C =

|Dec mean C =

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = 0.8

|Feb low C = 0.9

|Mar low C = 2.9

|Apr low C = 3.9

|May low C = 6.7

|Jun low C = 9.9

|Jul low C = 11.9

|Aug low C = 12.0

|Sep low C = 9.8

|Oct low C = 7.0

|Nov low C = 3.5

|Dec low C = 1.6

|year low C =

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 199.8

|Feb rain mm = 128.5

|Mar rain mm = 139.6

|Apr rain mm = 116.6

|May rain mm = 109.9

|Jun rain mm = 43.7

|Jul rain mm = 23.4

|Aug rain mm = 29.3

|Sep rain mm = 68.5

|Oct rain mm = 199.1

|Nov rain mm = 168.7

|Dec rain mm = 218.9

|year rain mm =

|source = Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera{{cite web |url=https://www.ipma.pt/pt/oclima/series.longas/list.jsp|title =Séries longas |publisher=IPMA}}}}

{{Weather box

|location = Montalegre, elevation: {{convert|1005|m|abbr=on|disp=or}}, 1971-2000 normals and extremes

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 17.0

|Feb record high C = 19.0

|Mar record high C = 22.5

|Apr record high C = 24.5

|May record high C = 27.6

|Jun record high C = 33.0

|Jul record high C = 35.0

|Aug record high C = 34.5

|Sep record high C = 34.0

|Oct record high C = 25.1

|Nov record high C = 21.5

|Dec record high C = 18.1

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 7.3

|Feb high C = 8.3

|Mar high C = 10.4

|Apr high C = 11.9

|May high C = 15.3

|Jun high C = 20.2

|Jul high C = 23.9

|Aug high C = 23.8

|Sep high C = 20.6

|Oct high C = 14.7

|Nov high C = 10.6

|Dec high C = 8.2

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 3.9

|Feb mean C = 4.6

|Mar mean C = 6.2

|Apr mean C = 7.5

|May mean C = 10.5

|Jun mean C = 14.6

|Jul mean C = 17.8

|Aug mean C = 17.6

|Sep mean C = 15.2

|Oct mean C = 10.6

|Nov mean C = 7.1

|Dec mean C = 5.0

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = 0.5

|Feb low C = 1.1

|Mar low C = 2.1

|Apr low C = 3.2

|May low C = 5.7

|Jun low C = 9.1

|Jul low C = 11.7

|Aug low C = 11.4

|Sep low C = 9.9

|Oct low C = 6.5

|Nov low C = 3.5

|Dec low C = 1.8

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -9.5

|Feb record low C = -9.5

|Mar record low C = -7.7

|Apr record low C = -4.0

|May record low C = -2.5

|Jun record low C = -1.1

|Jul record low C = 4.4

|Aug record low C = 4.5

|Sep record low C = 1.3

|Oct record low C = -2.4

|Nov record low C = -5.6

|Dec record low C = -6.5

|year record low C =

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 196.7

|Feb rain mm = 171.0

|Mar rain mm = 98.8

|Apr rain mm = 112.4

|May rain mm = 112.2

|Jun rain mm = 59.1

|Jul rain mm = 22.7

|Aug rain mm = 26.1

|Sep rain mm = 72.4

|Oct rain mm = 159.1

|Nov rain mm = 150.9

|Dec rain mm = 252.2

|year rain mm =

|unit rain days = 0.1 mm

|Jan rain days = 16.6

|Feb rain days = 15.3

|Mar rain days = 14.0

|Apr rain days = 14.1

|May rain days = 13.1

|Jun rain days = 9.8

|Jul rain days = 5.5

|Aug rain days = 5.0

|Sep rain days = 8.1

|Oct rain days = 14.2

|Nov rain days = 13.8

|Dec rain days = 16.7

|year rain days =

| Jan snow days = 4.7

| Feb snow days = 3.8

| Mar snow days = 3.7

| Apr snow days = 2.2

| May snow days = 0.5

| Jun snow days = 0

| Jul snow days = 0

| Aug snow days = 0

| Sep snow days = 0

| Oct snow days = 0.2

| Nov snow days = 1.1

| Dec snow days = 2.3

| year snow days =

|Jan sun = 110.9

|Feb sun = 113.3

|Mar sun = 164.1

|Apr sun = 184.2

|May sun = 220.5

|Jun sun = 269.4

|Jul sun = 322.5

|Aug sun = 312.7

|Sep sun = 226.6

|Oct sun = 160.2

|Nov sun = 125.4

|Dec sun = 95.4

|year sun =

|source = Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera{{cite web |url=http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_MONTALEGRE.pdf|title =Climate normals Montalegre |publisher=Instituto de Meteorologia}}}}

{{Weather box

|location = Cabril, elevation: {{convert|585|m|abbr=on|disp=or}}, 1982-2000 normals and extremes

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|collapsed = yes

|Jan record high C = 20.5

|Feb record high C = 23.0

|Mar record high C = 27.0

|Apr record high C = 29.0

|May record high C = 31.2

|Jun record high C = 36.3

|Jul record high C = 38.0

|Aug record high C = 38.0

|Sep record high C = 36.0

|Oct record high C = 31.7

|Nov record high C = 24.5

|Dec record high C = 22.0

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 11.5

|Feb high C = 12.6

|Mar high C = 16.1

|Apr high C = 16.2

|May high C = 19.2

|Jun high C = 23.6

|Jul high C = 27.0

|Aug high C = 27.1

|Sep high C = 24.0

|Oct high C = 18.8

|Nov high C = 14.5

|Dec high C = 12.2

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 8.0

|Feb mean C = 8.8

|Mar mean C = 11.3

|Apr mean C = 11.7

|May mean C = 14.4

|Jun mean C = 18.4

|Jul mean C = 21.1

|Aug mean C = 21.2

|Sep mean C = 18.8

|Oct mean C = 14.7

|Nov mean C = 11.1

|Dec mean C = 8.9

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = 4.4

|Feb low C = 4.9

|Mar low C = 6.6

|Apr low C = 7.1

|May low C = 9.5

|Jun low C = 12.9

|Jul low C = 15.2

|Aug low C = 15.2

|Sep low C = 13.6

|Oct low C = 10.5

|Nov low C = 7.6

|Dec low C = 5.7

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -6.0

|Feb record low C = -3.2

|Mar record low C = -2.0

|Apr record low C = -1.0

|May record low C = 2.3

|Jun record low C = 4.2

|Jul record low C = 8.0

|Aug record low C = 8.0

|Sep record low C = 5.0

|Oct record low C = 4.0

|Nov record low C = -0.5

|Dec record low C = -0.2

|year record low C =

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 151.0

|Feb rain mm = 141.5

|Mar rain mm = 66.3

|Apr rain mm = 115.6

|May rain mm = 99.2

|Jun rain mm = 45.1

|Jul rain mm = 19.8

|Aug rain mm = 28.0

|Sep rain mm = 66.7

|Oct rain mm = 140.8

|Nov rain mm = 176.2

|Dec rain mm = 195.5

|year rain mm =

|unit rain days = 0.1 mm

|Jan rain days = 11.9

|Feb rain days = 9.7

|Mar rain days = 6.5

|Apr rain days = 10.0

|May rain days = 9.0

|Jun rain days = 4.7

|Jul rain days = 2.7

|Aug rain days = 3.1

|Sep rain days = 5.8

|Oct rain days = 10.3

|Nov rain days = 11.8

|Dec rain days = 12.3

|year rain days =

|Jan sun = 130.6

|Feb sun = 127.9

|Mar sun = 193.9

|Apr sun = 174.2

|May sun = 222.6

|Jun sun = 270.8

|Jul sun = 313.7

|Aug sun = 297.4

|Sep sun = 228.4

|Oct sun = 160.5

|Nov sun = 113.5

|Dec sun = 99.5

|year sun =

|source = Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera{{cite web |url=http://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_71-00_CABRIL_SAO_LOURENCO.pdf|title =Climate normals Cabril, São Lourenço|publisher=Instituto de Meteorologia}}}}

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 27 civil parishes that administer local area government and support the local populations:{{cite web|title=Law nr. 11-A/2013, pages 552 76-77|url=http://dre.pt/pdf1sdip/2013/01/01901/0000200147.pdf |accessdate=9 July 2014|author=Diário da República|author-link=Diário da República|language=Portuguese|format=pdf}}

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Cabril
• Cambeses do Rio, Donões e Mourilhe
• Cervos
• Chã
• Covelo do Gerês
• Ferral
• Frades do Rio
• Gralhas
• Meixedo e Padornelos
• Montalegre e Padroso
• Morgade
• Negrões
• Outeiro
• Paradela, Contim e Fiães
• Peireses
• Pitões das Júnias
• Reigoso
• Salto
• Santo André
• Sarraquinhos
• Sezelhe e Covelães
• Solveira
• Tourém
• Venda Nova e Pondras
• Viade de Baixo e Fervidelas
• Vila da Ponte
• Vilar de Perdizes e Meixide

{{div col end}}

• Delfim Modesto Brandão (1835–??) the penultimate "Juiz" (head of state) of the micro-state of Couto Misto which lasted 4 years from 1864.
• Bento António Gonçalves (1902–1942) the second Secretary General of the Portuguese Communist Party.
• Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, first European to reach California
• Maria Eugénia Neto (b. 1934), First Lady of Angola

• Montalegre Castle
• Couto Misto

{{Reflist}}

{{Municipalities of Vila Real}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Towns in Portugal

Category:Municipalities of Vila Real District