Guimaraes

Guimarães is a city in northwestern Portugal in the province of Minho and the Braga district. Guimarães City is made of 16 parishes and , as of 2001, has a population of 69,600. The municipal areas surrounding Guimarães City have a population of 158,572 and are made up of 68 parishes, comprising 242,85 km².

The city was founded upon much older settlements by Count Vímara Peres after his namesake (Vimaranis, later Guimaranis), soon after he established the 1st County of Portugal (in 868). As the first capital of Portugal, Guimarães is known as the place where the country was born - "The Cradle City". In 1095 Count Henry of Burgundy, who had married princess Teresa of León, establishes in Guimarães the 2nd County of Portugal (Condado Portucalense). In July 25, 1109 Afonso Henriques, son of Count Henry of Burgundy, is born in this same city. That is were Duke Afonso Henriques proclamed Portuguese independence from the Kingdom of León, after the Battle of São Mamede, declaring himself to be Afonso I, king of Portugal.

Guimarães is one of the most industrial municipalities in Portugal. Its primary industries are textiles, shoe industry and metalomechanics.

The Historic Centre of Guimarães was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001 by UNESCO, due to its Middle Age historical monuments.

The Campus of Azurém of the Universidade do Minho is located in Guimarães.

Vitória SC (also known as Vitória de Guimarães) is a football club based in Guimarães.