Penafiel until 1770 was called Arrifana de Sousa, already nicknamed in 1258. Until about the middle of the 16th century, Arrifana was only a place in the parish of S. Martinho de Moazares and its affirmation as headquarters and later urban development owes much to its location next to the medieval tradition road that connected Porto to the interior of the country, namely Trás-os-Montes and Beiras. This house that developed along that road, now Rua Direita, Rua do Carmo and Rua Alfredo Pereira, is still today the main feature of Penafiel; the houses of good stone stonework, balconies ornamented with wrought iron, and some emblazoned palaces. Integrated in the court of Penafiel, since the end of the 14th century that this place depended administratively on the Chamber of Porto, a situation that displeased its residents who asked the king for his rise to the category of town. This promotion was granted to them on March 14, 1741, ending their parish of São Martinho, and part of that of Santiago de Subarrifana, with Juiz de Fora and the Orphans, and separate jurisdiction for the city of Porto.