Viana do Castelo, capital of Alto Minho, charming because of its extraordinary panoramic view, which owns its main conditions of existence and development to the river and sea, has its origin in the charter given by D. João III in 1258. « … in 1258, the Count of Bolonha laid the first foundations of a village which took the old name of the place which in old times was settled at the top of a near mount, where it was buried and forgotten in its ruins.»