Póvoa de Varzim City Center

Póvoa de Varzim City Center or Downtown Póvoa de Varzim (Portuguese, Centro) is the heart of Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal, and is the location for most of the city's municipal services, tourist attractions and businesses. It is the center, not only for the city or the municipality, but also neighboring municipalities. The greater downtown area also called "Centro" can also include most districts part of Póvoa de Varzim Parish.

Downtown, as defined by the City Hall, is arranged around Praça do Almada, the civic center, and extends in all directions for a number of blocks, including Junqueira shopping street, Passeio Alegre waterfront square, Mouzinho de Albuquerque business avenue, and Praça Marquês de Pombal (market square). It does not include the medieval and Discovery Age civic center of the city which is located in Bairro da Matriz district.

Despite proven to be occupied at least since the Roman period, Downtown developed its current layout in the 18th century, by royal order of Queen Mary I of Portugal due to the importance that Póvoa de Varzim got as the main seaport in Northern Portugal.

Downtown is limited to the North by Bairro Norte, to the south by Bairro Sul, to the east by Barreiros/Moninhas and Matriz/Mariadeira and to the west it borders Redonda Beach and Póvoa Cove.

Downtown Póvoa de Varzim is, to a large extent, made up of pedestrian areas, with difficult car access in much of its extension, although underground parking spaces are available in the waterfront and in Avenida Mouzinho de Albuquerque.

Praça do Almada, the civic center, is landscaped in an egg-shape, cut in half by the National Highway 13, and is tipped by buildings with local style. The building of the City Hall (1791) dominates the square. In the square, the Manueline pillory of Póvoa de Varzim (1514) is a national monument and represents Póvoa de Varzim's self-government and laws. Next to the pillory, the romantic gazebo (1904) follows the liking of the old Povoan bourgeoisie for its spare time.

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Wikipedia