about the place
Olival is a village in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia, on the left bank of the river Douro, at the eastern tip of the municipality, about 10 km from the town centre. Its name derives from Ulvar or Ulval, the ancient designation of the land, and its patron saint is Nossa Senhora da Assunção. Elevated to village status in 2001, it was merged with Sandim, Lever and Crestuma in 2013 and became a parish in its own right again under Law no. 25-A/2025.
history
Olival is a town in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia, seat of the parish of the same name. It lies on the left bank of the river Douro, at the eastern tip of the municipality, about 10 km from the municipal seat, and borders Crestuma, Sandim, Pedroso, Avintes and Seixezelo and, to the south, Argoncilhe, in the municipality of Santa Maria da Feira.<p>The name derives from Ulvar or Ulval, the ancient designation of the land. The patron saint is Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Our Lady of the Assumption). The settlement was elevated to town status on 19 April 2001. In 2013 it was merged with Sandim, Lever and Crestuma, and Law no. 25-A/2025 restored the parish.<p>By the Douro lie the quay and cobbled streets of Arnelas, the Capela de São Mateus de Arnelas (chapel) and the former port wine cellars of the Companhia Real Vinícola. Scattered throughout the parish are the Igreja Matriz (parish church), the Capela da Santa Isabel (chapel), the Capela de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (chapel) in Seixo-Alvo, the Capelinha de S. Miguel (chapel) and several manor estates, such as the Quinta do Ferraz, the Quinta do Casalinho and the Quinta do Paço de Arnelas. The settlements include Ameal, Arnelas, Carvalho, Gondesende, Igreja, Lavadores, Lavadorinhos, Lebre, Moses, São Martinho de Olival, S. Miguel, Seixo-Alvo, Santa Isabel and São Vicente. In 2011 it had 5,812 inhabitants.
