Do you know that Gueifães was once an independent parish? It existed until 2013. Now, let’s dive into the story of Gueifães.
Gueifães is a place with a past. It was a “freguesia”, a civil parish in Portugal. This area was part of the Maia Municipality. But in 2013, things changed. A national administrative reform took place. Gueifães joined with Maia and Vermoim. Together, they created a new parish. It is called Cidade da Maia.
Before its extinction, Gueifães had its own identity. It covered 2.98 square kilometers. In 2011, 11,964 people lived here. That meant a population density of 4,014.8 inhabitants per square kilometer. Gueifães was a lively place.
Gueifães is now part of Maia city. It still has important facilities. There is a secondary school for the 2nd and 3rd cycles. It’s known as EB 2,3 de Gueifães. There are also two primary schools with kindergartens. These are EB1 JI de Gueifães and EB1 JI da Azenha. For private education, there are two institutions. They offer everything from crèche to basic education. These are the Colégio Externato Imaculada Conceição CEIC and the Colégio CCG. A modern health unit serves the community.
Looking back, the population of Gueifães has changed over time. In 2001, younger residents made up a significant portion. Those aged 0 to 14 were 16.4% of the population. People aged 15 to 24 were 14.3%. Adults aged 25 to 64 formed the largest group at 57.6%. Seniors over 65 were 11.7%. By 2011, the age distribution had shifted slightly. The 0 to 14 group decreased to 14.7%. The 15 to 24 group also fell to 10.7%. The 25 to 64 group increased to 59.1%. The over 65 group rose to 15.6%.
Music plays a role in Gueifães’s culture. The Banda Marcial de Gueifães is a local marching band. Also important to the community is the Festa de Nossa Senhora da Saúde. This is the parish festival.
So, while Gueifães no longer exists as an independent parish, its history remains. It is now part of Cidade da Maia. It retains its schools, health unit, and cultural traditions. Gueifães continues to be a vital part of the larger community.