Vila Do Conde
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Vila do Conde (, ; "the Count's Town") is a municipality in the Norte Region of
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
. The population in 2011 was 79,533, in an area of 149.03 km². The urbanized area of Vila do Conde, which includes the parishes of Vila do Conde, Azurara and Árvore, represent 36,137 inhabitants. Vila do Conde is interlinked to the north with
Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portugal, Portuguese city in Norte Region, Portugal, Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho River, Minho ...
, forming a single urban agglomeration which is a part of the Porto Metropolitan Area. The town is on
the Portuguese Way The Portuguese Way ( pt, Caminho Português, es, Camino Portugués) is the name of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes starting in Portugal. It begins at Porto or Lisbon. From Porto, along the Douro River, pilgrims travel north crossing t ...
of the Camino de Santiago.


History

Vila do Conde is one of the oldest settlements in northern Portugal. Geological artifacts dating to the Paleolithic have been discovered in sites in the parishes of Modivas, Malta, and Labruge dating from 100,000 to 15,000 years. In other parishes there have also been discoveries of implements and mounds dating back to the Bronze Age and Neolithic periods indicating a period of transition between forging and sedimentary civilizations. Its origins date back to the founding of the Portuguese territory; the earliest written document (953), by the Countess
Mumadona Dias Mumadona Dias, or Muniadomna Díaz (died 968), was a Galician noble and Countess of Portugal, who ruled the county jointly with her husband from about and then on her own after her husband's death around 950 until her death in 968. Celebrated, ...
, refers to the ''Villa de Comite'', in a chart used for the sale of land by Flamula Pelagius, to the Monastery of Guimarães. But its ancient origins date back to the Castro of São João (Hillfort of St. John), and other
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
castros, that include dispersed settlements in Retorta, Bagunte, Ferreiró, Vairão and Labruge. In the 18th century, Jerónimo Contador de Argote, citing references to the castro culture, identified the existence of one of these structures in the hilltops of ''Cividade de Bagunte'', a structure occupying . Other castros within the municipality have been mostly agricultural, and some discoveries of ceramics have occurred, although most have been found in ruins. Similar vestiges of the Roman occupation of the region continue to be discovered, and archaeological digs are ongoing in a dozen sites throughout the municipality. The origin of the
toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...
is unknown. Most authors point to the 9th century counts of the ''
Reconquista The ' (Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the Nasrid ...
'', those who came from Galicia and Asturias and were ancestors of the aforementioned Flamula, as probably linked to the genesis of the name. Later, King
Dinis of Portugal Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325 in Santarém), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile, and ...
bestowed on Maria Paes da Ribeira these seigneurial holdings (Dinis had long had many illegitimate children with the noblewoman).Ignacio de Vilhena Barbosa (1860), p.148 In 1318, Afonso Sanches (the illegitimate son of King
Dinis of Portugal Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325 in Santarém), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile, and ...
and Aldonça Rodrigues Telha) and Teresa Martins (daughter of João Afonso de Menez,
Count of Barcelos Count of Barcelos (in Portuguese ''Conde de Barcelos'') is a title of nobility, the first to be granted in Portugal. It was created in 1298 by king Denis I and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the ...
, granddaughter of Sancho IV of Castile) and great-great-granddaughter of Maria Pais da Ribeira, founded the ''Monastery of Santa Clara''. Later referred to as the Convent of Santa Clara, the construction of the monastery developed from the bad relationship between King Dinis and his wife, Queen Elizabeth of Portugal, due to the king's preference for his illegitimate son. The queen re-founded, in 1314, an abandoned monastery in Coimbra, which she renamed Santa Clara. This prompted King Dinis to sponsor and authorize Afonso Sanches to build a monastery of the same invocation on the right bank of the Ave river, where an ancient Celtic hillfort was located. The cornerstone was laid in 1318, and once completed it was deposited in the hands of the
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
Order, which he patronized throughout his life, eventually leaving Vila do Conde, its lands and rents, in their possession after his and his wife's deaths.Ignacio de Vilhena Barbosa (1860), p.149 Today it is the ex-libris of Vila do Conde. The priory became the judicial seat, with all the royal rights in the area. Yet, King
Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...
began to contest these grand privileges during his reign, and King
John III of Portugal John III ( pt, João III ; 7 June 1502 – 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious (Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1521 until his death in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the thi ...
finally stripped them of those rights in 1537, investing his brother
Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...
, with the seigneurial titles. At the marriage of
Catherine Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria. In the early Christ ...
, his daughter, with
John I, 6th Duke of Braganza John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
, the Infante Edward passed on the title to the Royal
House of Braganza The Most Serene House of Braganza ( pt, Sereníssima Casa de Bragança), also known as the Brigantine Dynasty (''Dinastia Brigantina''), is a dynasty of emperors, kings, princes, and dukes of Portuguese origin which reigned in Europe and the Ame ...
. Consequently, Vila do Conde had representation in the Royal Cortes and their
alcalde Alcalde (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian '' cabildo'' (the municipal council) a ...
s were nominated for dukedoms in the Royal House of Braganza. But this was also responsible for the local government weakness and high taxes on most local economic activities, except shipping and trade, where the national government had sole control. During the 16th century, attained the apex of its commercial and maritime importance due to naval construction, associated with the Portuguese
Age of Discovery The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration), also known as the early modern period, was a period largely overlapping with the Age of Sail, approximately from the 15th century to the 17th century in European history, during which seafarin ...
. Many of the historical buildings, such as the port and customshouse, were all integral in the commercial relief of the 16th century. The passage of King Manuel through Vila do Conde, during a pilgrimage to
Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
, in 1502, helped to develop some of the important infrastructures in the city: the Matrice Church, ''Praça Nova'' and municipal buildings, along with new arterials, were begun under the reign of Manuel I. The ''Praça Nova'' ( pt, New Square), today ''Praça Vasco da Gama'' was opened in 1538, during the reign of King
John III of Portugal John III ( pt, João III ; 7 June 1502 – 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious (Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1521 until his death in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the thi ...
, and where the municipal buildings were located.
Manuel I Manuel I may refer to: * Manuel I Komnenos, Byzantine emperor (1143–1180) *Manuel I of Trebizond, Emperor of Trebizond (1228–1263) *Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), wa ...
conceded a
foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The word ''foral'' ({{IPA-pt, fuˈɾaɫ, eu, plural: ''forais'') is a noun derived from the Portuguese word ''foro'', ultimately from Latin ''forum'', equivalent to Spanish ''fuero'', Galician '' foro'', ...
(royal charter) in 1516, due to the active and integral participation of its population during the exploration of the new lands in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Of these mariners of note, were the brothers Paulo and Francisco Faria, who were on Vasco da Gama's expeditionary voyage. During the 19th century, French troops were responsible for the destruction and pillaging of many of the infrastructures and deaths. By the middle of the 19th century, the town had one ecclesiastical parish, dedicated to
Saint John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
, founded by
Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, a ...
, and erected by the archbishop of
Braga Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
, Diogo de Sousa in 1518. In addition, the community included the ''Church of the Misericordia'', hospital, six chapels, municipal building, customhouse, the Convent of Santa Clara (now remodelled and expanded since its construction), and the ''Convent of Nossa Senhora da Encarnação''. In addition, the secular buildings included a small theatre, a ''recreational assembly'' and ornate dock of rock on the right margin of the Ave River towards its mouth, and across from the Chapel of ''Nossa Senhora da Guia''. In 1987, the urbanized area was elevated to the status of city.


Geography


Physical geography

Vila do Conde is located in the north-west coast of Portugal, surrounded by the municipalities of
Vila Nova de Famalicão Municipality Vila may refer to: People *Vila (surname) Places Andorra * Vila, Andorra, a town in the parish of Encamp Brazil * Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade, a municipality in the State of Mato Grosso * Vila Boa, Goiás, a municipality in the State o ...
(east),
Maia Maia (; Ancient Greek: Μαῖα; also spelled Maie, ; la, Maia), in ancient Greek religion and mythology, is one of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes, one of the major Greek gods, by Zeus, the king of Olympus. Family Maia is the daugh ...
(southeast),
Trofa Trofa () is a municipality in the north of the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, 18 km from central Porto. The population in 2011 was 38,999, in an area of 72.02 km². Trofa has a strong industrial park, with various types of industry ...
(southeast),
Matosinhos Matosinhos, Porto, Portugal () is a city and a municipality in the northern Porto district of Portugal, bordered in the south by the city of Porto (8 km from the city centre). The population in 2011 was 175,478, and covered an area of approx ...
(south) and
Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portugal, Portuguese city in Norte Region, Portugal, Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho River, Minho ...
(north). Fronting the Atlantic Ocean and the Ave River (to its south), the municipality includes of beaches, in addition to extensive rural areas with fields and estates. Located from Porto, access to the municipality is completed through many of its transport networks: the A28 (linking Porto to Viana do Castelo), the EN13, a Metro line and the A11 roadway. The area of Vila do Conde is part of the granite-metamorphic basement, the Iberian Hercynian massif, that extends from the Spanish border to Espinho ( south of Porto).Maria de Assunção Araújo (1994), p.1 Over the Hercynian bedrock there is a prevalence of sandy beaches, and in other areas, the erosion of these sands has allowed the exposure of the rocky substrata. Most of the rock outcrops (never more than 20 metres) disappear north of the Ave River. Yet, these deposits are irregular, and most comparable sediments are not necessarily found at the same altitude.M.A. Arauja et al. (2003), p.96 There are also deformations associated with the last inter-glacial period, that have affected these sedimentary layers, most commonly in the beach of Sampaio, where deposits have been discovered between various altitudes (5 and 9 metres).


Human geography

The municipality is subdivided into the following local government civil parishes, of which Azurara, Árvore and Vila do Conde form the urbanized city of Vila do Conde: * Árvore * Aveleda * Azurara * Bagunte, Ferreiró, Outeiro Maior e Parada * Fajozes * Fornelo e Vairão * Gião * Guilhabreu * Junqueira * Labruge * Macieira da Maia * Malta e Canidelo * * Modivas * Retorta e Tougues * Rio Mau e Arcos * Touguinha e Touguinhó * Vila Chã * Vila do Conde * Vilar e Mosteiró * Vilar de Pinheiro


Twin towns — sister cities

Vila do Conde is twinned with: * Ferrol, Spain *
Le Cannet Le Cannet (; oc, Lo Canet; older it, Canneto) is a commune of the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. Administration Le Cannet was part of Cannes until 1778, when it was made a separate commune. Location Le Cannet is locat ...
, France * Portalegre, Portugal * Olinda, Brazil


Economy

The municipal authorities have promoted a future-looking environment in Vila do Conde, that have concentrated on the tourist market, involving the requalification of many of the historical buildings (such as the Convent and customshouse), in addition to promoting an ocean-centric tourist economy associated with the ''Programa Polis'' initiative. The communities along the coast, which include the main beaches and bird sanctuary, are essentially beach resorts with a high technology industrial park in with some semi-conductor industries.


Transport

Vila do Conde is serviced by an ample network of terrestrial, aerial and maritime transport links. The road networks include accesses to the national ''auto-estradas'' ( en, roadway), and inter-municipal roadways, along a north–south axis from
Vila Nova de Cerveira Vila Nova de Cerveira (, ) is a municipality in the district of Viana do Castelo in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 9,253,Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
via the A28 Auto-estrada. The A7 crosses the A28 along an east-to-west intersection, along the north of the city, linking
Vila Nova de Famalicão Vila Nova de Famalicão () is a Portuguese town with a population of approximately 133,048 inhabitants () in an area of 201,59 km2, subdivided into 49 parishes (Administrative Division of 11 Unions of Parishes and 23 Parish Councils,). Insert ...
to Guimarães. The national roadways that cross the municipal borders as managed by the municipality, including the EN13, which crosses the municipality and city along a north-to-south axis, linking into the northern agglomeration of Póvoa de Varzim. In the north, the EN205 intersects the municipality along an east to west trajectory from Vila do Conde to
Vila Nova de Famalicão Vila Nova de Famalicão () is a Portuguese town with a population of approximately 133,048 inhabitants () in an area of 201,59 km2, subdivided into 49 parishes (Administrative Division of 11 Unions of Parishes and 23 Parish Councils,). Insert ...
. Similarly, the EN104 crosses the municipality in the centre, along a similar orientation (east to west), and connects Vila do Conde with
Trofa Trofa () is a municipality in the north of the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, 18 km from central Porto. The population in 2011 was 38,999, in an area of 72.02 km². Trofa has a strong industrial park, with various types of industry ...
and
Santo Tirso Santo Tirso () is a city and municipality located in the north of Porto Metropolitan Area, 25 km from central Porto, Portugal. In the region, the Ave Valley, there is a large center of textile industry. The population in 2011 was 71,530, in ...
. The ancillary EN205 and EN104 are primarily used by motorists within the municipality and interlink the many civil parishes. Municipal public transport is primarily operated by ''Litoral Norte - Transportes Urbanos da Póvoa de Varzim'', although the remains lines are managed by''Transdev''. The ''B Line'' of the Porto Metro system connects Vila do Conde with Porto and the airport, providing both normal and express services, in addition to northern connections to Póvoa de Varzim. The line also operated an older rail-line that connected Porto and Póvoa de Varzim, with intermediary stops in Vila do Conde, but was discontinued in 2002 in favour of Metro services. Situated from the centre of Vila do Conde, the Porto-Francisco de Sá Carneiro International Airport (OPO), the second largest international airport in the country is linked to Vila do Conde across the A28, EN13 and Porto Metro.


Architecture


Civic

* Aqueduct of Vila do Conde ( pt, Aqueduto de Vila do Conde) - initially constructed between 1705 and 1714, it had 999 arches and ran for four kilometres; the aqueduct is the second longest in Portugal, connecting a spring in
Terroso Terroso is a suburban area in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. It is a former civil parish currently located in União das Freguesias de Aver-o-Mar, Amorim e Terroso. It is an ancient ecclesiastical parish and former civil parish located in Póvoa ...
,
Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portugal, Portuguese city in Norte Region, Portugal, Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho River, Minho ...
, with a fountain in the monastery of Santa Clara. * Municipal Hall of Vila do Conde ( pt, Paços do Concelho) - located in the ''Praça Nova'' (or ''Praça Vasco da Gama'') square, date back to 1543 (supposedly the date of completion), it is located in front of the municipal marker ( pt, pelourinho), and is one of the more important urban interventions in Vila do Conde since the 16th century. The executive office block and the ''Salão Nobre'' ( en, Noble Hall), in particular, are the centrepieces of the building, with an ornate portrait of Queen
Maria II of Portugal , image = Queen Maria II by John Simpson.jpg , caption = Portrait by John Simpson, 1835 , succession = Queen of Portugal , reign = , predecessor = Pedro IV , successor = Miguel I , reg-type = Regents , regent ...
surmounted by royal coat of arms. * Mill of Azurara ( pt, Azenha de Azurara) - a rectangular building, with the coat of arms in sculpted rock of the Marquess of Vila Real (who in the 16th century ordered its construction).


Military

* Fort of Saint
John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
( pt, Forte de São João Baptista) - the fort is located at the mouth of the Ave River.


Religious

* Chapel of Our Lady of Help ( pt, Capela de Nossa Senhora do Socorro), the chapel is implanted on a rocky escarpment over the Ave River, on the ''Rua do Socorro''; the chapel is atypical of Portuguese architecture: it has a square plan and large rounded dome. Yet, in the interior, the chapel exemplifies 18th-century architecture, with
azulejos ''Azulejo'' (, ; from the Arabic ''al- zillīj'', ) is a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework. ''Azulejos'' are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, rest ...
showing the ''life of Christ'', and a
Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
-style altar. It was ordered built by Gaspar Manuel, knight of the Order of Christ and chief-pilot in service to the King during voyages to
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, and his wife Bárbara Ferreira de Almeida; both were buried there on their deaths. * Chapel of Our Lady of Guidance ( pt, Capela da Nossa Senhora da Guia), the chapel dates back to the 10th–11th century; located at the end of ''Avenida Marquês Sá da Bandeira'' (Vila do Conde), the chapel is referenced in a 1059 inventory of the Monastery of Guimarães, but designated as the ''Hermitage of Saint Julian the Martyr''. It is an irregular building, with an interior of azulejo from the 17th–18th century, and a roof decorated with scenes from the Bible and figures of saints. * Church of Saint John the Baptist ( pt, Igreja de São João Baptista) - also referred to as the ''
Matrice Matrice is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Campobasso in the Italian region Molise, located about northeast of Campobasso. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,081 and an area of .All demographics and other statistics ...
Church of Vila do Conde'', located along the ''Rua da Igreja'', the building is a late
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
structure with elements of Manueline, Baroque and Neo-Gothic styles, represented by a Latin cross of three naves, transept (with two chapels). Its construction in the 16th century was initiated by King Manuel of Portugal's visit in 1502, who defined the plan, provided a substantial budget and imposed a tax to support the project. The architecture is marked by a large portico (by João de Castilho), a rectangular bell tower (erected in 1573 (designed by João Lopes ''the Elder''), while the interior is richly decorated, with ornate pulpits and chapels; * Church of Mercy, and ''Casa do Despacho'' - initiated in 1559, the plan of the ''Assembleia da Irmandade'' was to construct a church with a bell tower similar to the Misericórdia Church in Porto and having a pulpit comparable to that of the Church of Santo Eloy, similarly in Porto. The church has one nave whose interior is decorated in azulejo, while the roof is supported by wooden beam. The ancillary ''Casa do Despacho'' is notable for its window in the Manueline-style. * Church of Azurara ( pt, Igreja Matriz de Azurara) – located between ''Rua Padre Serafim das Neves'' and ''Rua Nossa Senhora de Fátima'', the church was constructed in the 16th century, with large naves (three), rectangular chapel and bell tower. The Manueline portico is built in sculpted rock, with rosettas and with a central coat of arms of King Manuel I. The interior, with its azulejos and gold-leaf altar/sacristy and 17th-century paintings, bely its stark exterior. * Roman Church of Saint Christopher of Rio Mau ( pt, Igreja de São Cristóvão de Rio Mau), the church is a simple Roman church in a stark Romanesque-style single rectangular body, surmounted by a Templar Cross. * Monastery of Saint Clare ( pt, Mosteiro de Santa Clara), also referred to as the Convent of Santa Clara, although founded in 1318 by Afonso Sanches and Teresa Martins, is an 18th-century refurbishment, since by the middle of the 17th century the building was in ruins and conditions did not allow the nuns to properly use the building. The remodelling of the building was discontinued after events in the 19th century and the abolition of monastic orders. Between 1936 and 1940, the ''DGEMN - Direcção Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais'' ( en, General Directorate for Buildings and National Monuments) intervened to protect the building, the ex-libris of Vila do Conde. :* Church of the Convent of Santa Clara ( pt, Igreja do Convento de Santa Clara) (and ''the Founders Tombs''), located in the ''Largo D. Afonso Sanches'' (Vila do Conde), is a monument constructed in 1318, with traces of
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
,
Manueline The Manueline ( pt, estilo manuelino, ), occasionally known as Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese architectural style originating in the 16th century, during the Portuguese Renaissance and Age of Discoveries. Manuel ...
,
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
and Rococo architectural styles. The church is based in a unique nave and transept of large dimensions, with the interior marked by richly decorated woodwork. The Chapel of the Founders ( pt, Capela dos Fundadores) houses the Manueline and Rococo tombs of historical nobility. The chorus is marked by two aisles of seating and paintings, while the high altar is embossed with gold-leaf. In addition, in the interior ( from the beaches) are several examples of prehistoric and Roman structures such as the ''Castro de São Paio'', or the Roman '' civitas'' Bagunte, in addition to homes and estates of rural gentry, or monastic settlements, such as in Junqueira, Azurara or Vairão.


Culture

Vila do Conde is the centre of one of the more prestigious fairs of traditional artisans, that include quilts, wool sweaters, ironworks, in addition to needlework. During the summer, the municipality is known for the several secular and religious celebrations. These include the '' Curtas Vila do Conde - International Film Festival'', the ''Feira Nacional de Artesanato'', the''Feira da Gastronomia'', the ''Feira das Actividades Agrícolas'' and the Festival of São João. Every four years, the religious ''Festivals of Corpo de Deus'' are significant, and known for the road covered ''mats'' of flowers, used in processions from the circuit the main churches.


Sport

Rio Ave F.C. Rio Ave Futebol Clube, commonly known as Rio Ave (), is a Portuguese professional football club based in Vila do Conde, that competes in the Primeira Liga. The club is named after the Ave River, which flows through the town and into the Atlanti ...
is based in the city.


Notable people

*
Manuel de Sá Manuel de Sá (b. at Vila do Conde, Province Entre-Minho-e-Douro, 1530; d. at Arona, Italy, 30 December 1596) was a Portuguese Jesuit priest, theologian and exegete. History He distinguished himself as a student at the University of Coimbra, a ...
(1530-1596) a Portuguese Jesuit priest, theologian and
exegete Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretations ...
. * José Maria dos Reis Pereira (1901–1969) pen name ''José Régio,'' a Portuguese writer. * Albino Aroso (1923–2013) a doctor and politician, known as the ''father of family planning'' in Portugal. *
Manuela Azevedo Manuela Azevedo (born 5 May 1970) is a Portuguese singer. A graduate in law at the University of Coimbra, she is the singer of the Clã band, once integrated the Humanos band. Participation in other projects: *Ornatos Violeta (1997) -- «L ...
(born 1970) a Portuguese singer. Manuela Azevedo, IMDb Database


Sport

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António André António dos Santos Ferreira André (born 24 December 1957) is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He gained notoriety for his tough tackling which on occasion bordered on the violent, and was best known for hi ...
(born 1957) a retired footballer with 412 club caps and 20 for
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
*
Paulinho Santos João Paulo Maio dos Santos (born 21 November 1970), commonly known as Paulinho Santos, is a Portuguese former footballer who played mainly as a defensive midfielder. He spent 11 years of his professional career with Porto, playing in several ...
(born 1970) a retired footballer with 287 club caps and 30 for
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
*
José Azevedo José Bento Azevedo Carvalho (born 19 September 1973) is a Portuguese retired road racing cyclist, and most recently, general manager of UCI WorldTeam . During his racing career, Azevedo rode for between 2001 and 2003 and for between 2004 an ...
(born 1973) a Portuguese retired road racing cyclist * Emanuel Braga (born 1975), known as ''Emanuel,'' a retired footballer with 465 club caps *
Hélder Postiga Hélder Manuel Marques Postiga (; born 2 August 1982) is a Portuguese retired professional footballer who played as a striker. After beginning at Porto, where he won eight items of silverware along the way, he amassed Primeira Liga totals o ...
(born 1982) a retired footballer with 397 club caps and 71 for
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
*
Fábio Coentrão Fábio Alexandre da Silva Coentrão (; born 11 March 1988) is a Portuguese former professional footballer. Mainly a left-back, he also operated as a winger and occasionally as a defensive midfielder. After starting playing professionally with ...
(born 1988) a retired footballer with 240 club caps and 52 for
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
*
André André André Filipe Brás André (born 26 August 1989) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Vitória S.C. as a midfielder. After starting his career at Varzim, he made over 200 Primeira Liga appearances for Vitória de Guimarães an ...
(born 1989) a footballer with over 300 club caps and 3 for
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
* Ana Monteiro (born 1993) a butterfly swimmer, competed in the
2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...
* Messias Baptista (born 1999) a sprint canoeist, competed at the
2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...
* Raquel Queirós (born 2000) a road cyclist and cross-country mountain biker, competed at the
2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...


References


Sources

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External links


viladoconde.com - tourism and History of Vila do Conde
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vila Do Conde Cities in Portugal Municipalities of Porto District Populated coastal places in Portugal