Praça da República, Ovar

Although Ovar has been known since the 10th century, the current city center was formed much later. The fact is that the settlement was originally located on the seashore, but in the 12th century, the formation of lagoons began, as a result, Ovar found itself among swamps. In the 16th century, the city was moved inland. In 1514, King Manuel I the Happy granted Ovar the status of an independent settlement, with the right to self-government, court and tax collection. The symbol of judicial power in Portuguese cities was the pillory (Pelourinho), which was traditionally erected on the site of the current Republic Square. The architectural ensemble that we see now was formed from the end of the 17th century to the middle of the 20th century. The oldest old building is the Church of St. Anthony (Igreja de Santo António), built in 1693. Another historical building, the Chapel of St. Veronica (Capela do Passo da Verónica, mistakenly called Capela do Paço) was built in 1748-1756 in the Baroque style. It is one of the seven famous historical chapels of the Passion of Christ (Capelas dos Passos) in Ovar. In the 18th century, the boundaries of the square were finally formed, rich merchants and industrialists began to build houses here, and market trade developed. The monumental building of the Town Hall (Paços do Concelho), built in the second half of the 19th century, finally consolidated the status of the administrative center for the square. The long symmetrical classical facade of the Town Hall has become the dominant axis of the entire architectural complex. The square took on its final artistic appearance at the beginning of the 20th century, becoming the hallmark of Ovar as the "Capital of Azulejo". Most of the houses surrounding the square, as well as the facade of St. Anthony's Church, were lined with traditional colored tiles, and the square was paved with Portuguese paving stones, turning it into a spacious pedestrian zone. The square is one of the key elements of the Rua do Azulejo walking route.

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