[2] The township has records dating to the 13th century and, still today, it preserves landmarks such as the townsquare and a well-preserved and notable Romanesque temple.

The local myth was used by the archbishops of Braga to justify their primacy in Hispania, by claiming that an older Christian tradition existed in the city than in other places.

Its first knight commander was Tomé de Sousa, who John III of Portugal made the first Governor of Brazil.

It then became just a simple civil parish, and gained town status on July 2, 1993, due to its historical importance.

The parish is dominated by Serra de Rates, whose flora is distinguished by the Pedunculate Oak or the European Holly.