The people of Minho are rich in tradition, festivals and historical symbols. A prime example is the symbol of the Heart of Viana, which is more than just a Minho property, it is now a national treasure and is used across the border.

The famous Heart of Viana

The people of Minho are rich in tradition, festivals and historical symbolism. A prime example is the symbol of the Heart of Viana, which is more than just a Minho property, it is now a national treasure and is used across the border, all over the world, in the form of earrings, necklaces, printed on clothing or decoration, and in many other ways.
The famous Coração is, today, more than a representation of our square, it is part of the Portuguese identity for itself and for the rest of the world.

The story

More than an image forever present in our cultural imagination, the Heart of Viana is now a symbol of our land and our origins.
The heart has always been associated with a highly religious connotation and was seen as the representation of life, love, fraternity, the divine... that is why saints - personifications of these values ​​- often have, in their image, the heart "on the outside" of the chest.
More specifically, the origin of the Coração de Viana is attributed to the ambition of Queen Maria I to pay homage to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom she had the symbol minted in gold as a token of gratitude for the son she conceived, and on it she had the country's great decorations stamped: the Orders of Christ, of Santiago and of Avis. This was the 18th century.

The story

The Viana in its name was a convention of the time, its use is spread throughout Minho - Alto and Baixo - and is present in various crafts.
As the greatest attribute of the costumes and gold that the Vianense woman carries, the Heart is often accompanied by the also famous queen earrings, beaded necklaces, earrings and hoops, among many other elements of the Vianeza Costume .

Art and collections

Known for its typicality, a distinctive image of a legacy of culture and tradition, this crowned heart, filled with filigree threads, is no longer just a religious symbol: it is love and history. And art!
And as a Portuguese home cannot be without tradition, Letheshome created the IS Viana, Minho and Tradições collections, which feature distinctive elements of the Minho people and their legendary customs.