Portugal receives its name from the city of Porto. The Latin name for Porto was Portus Cale. In medieval times, the region north of the Douro river held the name of Condado Portucalense. This eventually led to the country of Portugal.
Welcome to Arnoso, a locality with a rich history. It was once a civil parish in Portugal. Arnoso sits at 152 meters above sea level.
Santa Maria de Arnoso is another name for Arnoso. This area has seen many changes over the centuries.
The Igreja de Santa Eulália do Mosteiro de Arnoso is a significant landmark here. This church has a fascinating past. It was founded in the 7th century by San Frutuoso. He was the Bishop of Dume and Braga. The Visigoths were in power then.
The Moors destroyed the original church in the 11th century. King García II of Galicia later rebuilt it.
The Igreja de Santa Eulália do Mosteiro de Arnoso features an early Romanesque style. The church has a nave. A barrel vault and a rectangular apse are also present. Blind arches decorate the apse. The wooden portal includes round arches. A tympanum displays a cross pattée. Geometric, intertwined and zoomorphic elements adorn these arches.
Inside, 16th-century frescoes depict scenes from the life of Our Lady. The two crosses on the roof resemble Celtic crosses. The Igreja de Santa Eulália do Mosteiro de Arnoso was classified as a National Monument in 1938.
Bernardo Pinheiro Correia de Melo, the first Count of Arnoso, was a notable figure. He was born in 1855 and died in 1911. Correia de Melo was a Portuguese writer. He also served as personal secretary to King Carlos.
In 1887, he became Secretary of the Extraordinary Embassy of Portugal. This embassy went to the Imperial Court of Beijing. He visited Egypt, Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong and Shanghai. He also went to Tianjin, Japan and the United States.
Under the name Bernardo Pindela, he shared his experiences. His writings appeared in the Revista de Portugal. Later, he published “Jornadas pelo Mundo”.
Correia de Melo became King Carlos’s personal secretary. For his service, he was named the first Count of Arnoso in 1895. He accompanied King Carlos on visits to France, Germany and Spain. He was part of the delegation for Queen Victoria’s funeral in London. He also accompanied Prince Luís Filipe to Edward VII’s coronation.
After the Lisbon Regicide in 1908 and the declaration of a Republic in 1910, Correia de Melo retired. He returned to his house near Vila Nova de Famalicão.
Citizens of Porto are called “Tripeiros” because of a historical event. Before the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, Porto citizens donated all their meat reserves to soldiers. They were only left with tripe to eat. Other cities mockingly called them “Tripeiros”. The residents of Porto accepted this nickname with pride.
Arnoso offers a glimpse into Portugal’s layered past. From religious roots to royal connections, this area holds stories worth exploring.