“Many Portuguese souvenirs and contemporary designs now sport this distinctively curved heart with its crown-like growth at the top so you’re bound to see it at some point.
But what’s the story behind the shape?
Viana do Castelo has adopted the wonky heart as its emblem.
Back in Ancient Greece, the heart was considered to be the center of life and the source of charity, brotherhood and, of course, love.
Much later, these attributes morphed into religious depictions of saints with their hearts showing outside their chest, often surrounded by flames to amplify the warmth and strength of the love stemming from the organ.
The cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus first introduced these external flaming hearts to Portugal at the end of the 18th century.
The basilica at Santa Luzia that overlooks the city of Viana do Castelo is also called the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Christ so there’s a strong local connection with this symbology.
The extra part that sits atop the Viana heart and gives it its distinctive shape is a stylized version of these flames. The twist in the tail of the heart remains a mystery, however. It was most likely a design that became fashionable and later developed into a firm feature of the golden hearts from the Minho region.
The filigree hearts weren’t originally very popular given the labor and skill involved in creating them. Other more common forms involved sheet metal beaten to form a hollow heart or more elaborate embossed gold.
These days, you’re far more likely to see the filigree version. They certainly look prettier and more romantic.
The Viana’s heart has captured the imagination of other Portuguese creatives and you’ll also find it incorporated into the beautifully embroidered handkerchiefs of love, also from the Minho region, as well as murals, contemporary art and street decorations.”
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Raeann, it is said on one of the known versions regarding the origin of the heart, that has a religious connection and that the queen D. Maria I has asked a golden heart to be made to thank God, for the honor of having had a male child. The tale detail remains still a mystery, but this is possible for that reason.
It is also believed that the origins can go back to the pagan era, having been first made under the Celtic solar cults and there are allusions to the “heart” since the VI century, but was in the XVII that was made “official” and there are records of several saints proving it.
To sum up the origin is yet to be officially established :)
I was told by a woman in Lisbon that the curved tail represented fertility, as it was Queen D. Maria I who asked artisans to make a heart in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to celebrate the birth of her male child. ????
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