Largo das Dores

Part of the earliest old town (Vila Velha) of Póvoa de Varzim, this area is listed by City Hall as heritage site.

Dores Square occupies an area, during some periods known as Lugar da Mata, located in Vila Velha - the old town of Varzim.

[6] The story surrounding the change in invocation is told in The News of the Town of Póvoa de Varzim made on May 24, 1758 by Lieutenant Francisco Felix Henriques da Veiga Leal, in which he says "To the west of Misericordia Churchyard [Senhora de Varzim church] there's a field that the people names "Passadas" (steps) or "Pègadinhas" (little footsteps): it is a tradition that in this place, there are dips in some rocks that they know as "passadas" or "pégadas" (footsteps) in which the miraculous icon of Lady of Varzim appeared (…) The seafarers of this town, also the neighboring peoples, have great faith in Her (…) The Portuguese merchant captains of this region passing by this coast they fire a gun salute from their ships.

They say that this place of Misericordia church there was a parish chapel, and they say with the invocation of Saint James, not very popular because it had close to it bushes in which several poisonous animals were seen, especially a large snake".

[7] The traditional Póvoa de Varzim Easter ceremonies appeared in April 1687 in the First Church, due to António Cardia, the chief pilot of the Portuguese armada, and his daughter.

[3][6] In the 18th century, Póvoa was expanding, and Santa Maria de Varzim Church proved to be too small for such a large and growing community and was not in the civic center of the time.

The change in invocation occurred on July 24, 1768, when the archbishop authorized the placement of a Senhora das Dores icon in the chapel to a group of devotee Latin Grammar students, they were helped by some residents.

Misericórdia Church, was demolished in 1910 because it was almost in ruins, the lack of architectural grandeur and the expansion of the new beach district's Mouzinho de Albuquerque Avenue.

City Hall asked King John VI the definitive establishment of a hospital in town and to look for available land where it would be built.

[1] Palácio da Justiça (1965), where the Judicial Court of Póvoa de Varzim is located, is a construction with an Estado Novo architectural style by Raul Rodrigues Lima, between the pillars hall the statues of João Feyo are found, one representing Law and the other right.

The palace has in its hearing room a fresco that invokes the delivery of the royal charter to Póvoa de Varzim by King Denis, work by master Augusto Gomes.