| Type: | parish |
| Official Name: | Abrunhosa-a-Velha |
| Region: | Centro |
| Cim: | Viseu Dão Lafões |
| District: | Viseu |
| Municipality: | Mangualde |
| Coordinates: | 40.579°N -7.643°W |
| Elevation: | 423 |
| Area Total: | 17.30 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Total: | 563 |
| Patron: | Santa Cecília |
| Postal Code: | 3530 |
Abrunhosa-a-Velha is a civil parish in the municipality of Mangualde in the central sub-region of Dão-Lafões in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 563,[1] in an area of 17.30 km².[2]
The parish includes several settlements, not only including Abrunhosa-a-Velha, but also Vila Mendo de Tavares and Gouveia-Gare: a population of 880 inhabitants.[3]
It is served by rail services through its Abrunhosa-a-Velha and Gouveia railway stations.[3]
Around 2km (01miles) from the main village is the hermitage of Nossa Senhora dos Verdes, which was founded around 1600, which is the basis for the modern parish.[3] A pillory classified as property of public interest (Decree 23122, 11 October 1933), served the civil judge during the period, when that official occupied a local building (identifiable the building with a 15th-century Manueline window).[3]
Around 1608, a papal bull conceded indulgences to the Irmandade de Nossa Senhora dos Verdes de Abrunhosa-a-Velha (Brotherhood of Nossa Senhora dos Verdes).[3] The chapel was still standing following a plague of grasshoppers that destroyed the municipality, part of Fornos de Algodres, across the Serra do Bom Sucesso and parish of Castelo (in Penalva do Castelo).[3] Since this period, on the first Monday of Holy Spirit, a pilgrimage (both religious and devotional) occurs in the parish.[3]
When in the 18th century, Pais Amaral de Mangualde was made the donatarys of Abrunhosa-a-Velha, he also received for the small village, the category of vila (town).[3]
In addition to Vila Mendo de Tavares, this region was part of one municipality: Tavares, with its own civil judge and comarca administration.[3] The captain-major and five ordinance officials guarded the outpost, while a superintendency for local tithes was invested in the juízo de fora of Mangualde and Tavares (in addition to two smaller municipalities at the time).[3]
By 1811, the donatary was already part of the royal possessions.[3]
Annually, the parish is the center of festivals in honour of Saint Cecilia (village of Abrunhosa-a-Velha) and Saint Dominic (in Vila Mendo de Tavares).[3]