Ervedosa do Douro

Ervedosa do Douro is a town and parish seat in the municipality of São João da Pesqueira, in the Viseu district, in the Douro sub-region. According to the 2021 Census it has 1,029 inhabitants in a parish of 39.71 km², about 7 km west of the municipal seat.

The São João da Pesqueira town hall describes it as the largest producer of fortified wine in the Demarcated Douro Region and the parish with the largest area within the World Heritage zone.

History

According to local tradition, the settlement began at a place called Frei Estêvão and moved to its present site because of a plague of ants. Together with Casais do Douro, the parish belonged to the couto of São Pedro das Águias, from which it received a land lease (aforamento) in 1274. In 1527 the municipality had half a league of territory and 69 residents. Ervedosa was a municipal seat until 1834, when it was merged into São João da Pesqueira, and it was raised to the status of town (vila) in 1993.

The population has fallen over the decades: 2,854 inhabitants in 1940, 1,294 in 2011 and 1,029 in 2021.

Places and heritage

• The Igreja de São Vicente, dedicated to the local patron saint, was rebuilt in 1841 and holds a Baroque gilded woodcarving throne.
• The Casa do Cão is a house bearing the Saavedra coat of arms.
• Casais do Douro, also part of the parish, has the Igreja de São Sebastião, dating from 1877, built in place of an earlier chapel.
• Sarzedinho, on the left bank of the river Torto, has the Chapel of Santa Bárbara.
• Bateiras, on the Régua–Pinhão road, was a place where farm workers gathered looking for seasonal work.

Festivities and food

In August, festivities are held in honour of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, Senhora do Socorro and Santa Bárbara. Typical dishes of the parish include roast kid and, among the sweets, bolo de folar, filhós, rabanadas and biscoitos. For dates and programmes, check locally.