A Praça do Almada It is the civic center of Povoa de Varzim. Located in the city center, It is in this square that you can appreciate the sculpture that honors Eca de Queiroz, the most important realist writer Portuguese, who was born there, in the house with the number 1. It should be noted also that the monument was offered by Poveira colony of Rio de Janeiro.
A Praça do Almada It is considered by the municipality as poveiro clear of heritage interest and part of the historic center. The development of Povoa de Varzim as an important fishing community in the eighteenth century leads to a royal provision is made by D. Maria I, issued by the Queen in 21 February 1791, instructed the Corregidor Francisco de Almada and Mendonça (Almada) to restructure the urbanization of Povoa de Varzim, namely the creation of a new square in the old fairground, replacing decreased Old Square and Civic Center.
The function of meeting and entertaining the square is favored with lifting the arches of the new building of the House, functioning as backup. The new town hall, which is engaged in 1807, thus makes the New Plaza in the political center of the metropolis. The square also came to call the Array neighborhood, historic center, the streets of the fishing district of Junqueira, that the eighteenth century was the most populated fishing street. The New Square then came to later be called Praça do Almada, in honor of the mayor, to have been a key driver in the implementation of the provision of D Royal. Maria I.
The square also aimed to be a public garden, fashion in the nineteenth century, to be attended by the high bourgeoisie. A square (Market) It was built there in May 1873, but it was considered that the daily market retreated dignity to the civic center and, that is why, a new square (Market) It was inaugurated at the Plaza Marquis of Pombal, in 1904.
In 1896 comes the first effort to build a gazebo. It would be an ephemeral structure, as an Art Nouveau gazebo was built, iron, in the same location 1904. This bandstand was opened in 1905 with a performance of the band Povoense, It is that their stage was to become a dynamic hub not only concerts, but also meetings and discussions.
Besides the statue in honor of Eca de Queiroz, Points of interest are the highlight, in the middle of the square, the west, the Manueline pillory of Povoa de Varzim, erected in 1514, which is a national monument and is the municipal emancipation of Povoa de Varzim; and the City Hall (1791), located in the northern part, which dominates the square and is neoclassical feature the taste of the English Port factory, visible in the arches on the ground floor, with tiles, the Portuguese taste, added to 1910 by Rocha Peixoto.