Gondomar (), officially the City of Gondomar (), is a Portuguese

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

located in the eastern part of the

Porto Metropolitan Area The Porto Metropolitan Area (; abbreviated as AMP) is a metropolitan area in northern Portugal centered on the City of Porto, Portugal's second largest city.Fernanda Paula Oliveira (2009), The metropolitan area, covering 17 municipalities, is th ...

, just from central

Porto Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...

. The population in 2021 was 164,257, in an area of . The name "Gondomar" is sometimes attributed to the

Visigothic The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied barbarian military group united under the comman ...

king Gundemar, who may have established a religious domain in the region around the 7th century. Notable for its long-standing tradition in

jewelry Jewellery (or jewelry in American English) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the ...

-making, Gondomar is considered the heart of Portugal's goldsmithing industry, accounting for 42% of the country's annual production. Gondomar's local gastronomy is deeply influenced by the nearby

Douro River The Douro (, , , ; ; ) is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta ...

with dishes like

shad The Alosidae, or the shads, are a family (biology), family of clupeiform fishes. The family currently comprises four genera worldwide, and about 32 species. The shads are Pelagic fish, pelagic (open water) schooling fish, of which many are anadr ...

and

lamprey Lampreys (sometimes inaccurately called lamprey eels) are a group of Agnatha, jawless fish comprising the order (biology), order Petromyzontiformes , sole order in the Class (biology), class Petromyzontida. The adult lamprey is characterize ...

being regional specialties. Gondomar's current mayor is Marco Martins.

History

Archaeological discoveries reveal that Gondomar has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The area also shows evidence of

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

occupation, particularly through gold mining activities in the surrounding regions. The name "Gondomar" is often attributed to the

king Gundemar, who is said to have established a couto (ecclesiastical domain) there in 610, although no evidence supports the presence of Visigothic knights in the area. Gondomar officially became a couto in 1193 when King Sancho I granted the Carta de Couto as part of a conciliatory agreement with the

Bishop of Porto The Diocese of Porto () (Oporto) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Portugal. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga. Its see at Porto is in the Norte region, and the second largest city in Portugal. History The dioc ...

, Martinho Rodrigues, following a conflict between the diocese and the monarchy. This charter confirmed and expanded the bishop’s influence over the region, which had been part of the diocese's holdings since 1120 through a donation by Countess Teresa to Bishop Hugo. The Carta de Couto was later confirmed by King Afonso II during the

Inquirições Inquirições were the Royal Portuguese commissions and official reports. They were put forward by the crown of Portugal to accomplish royal edicts, primarily through the royal chancery. Afonso II instituted (from 1220) inquirições to investi ...

and recognized Gondomar as the

honra A honra was an administrative division and a form of lordship that existed in the Kingdom of Portugal prior to 1834 - a land, or district, whose jurisdiction and income belonged to a Lord or Fidalgo. History and characteristics Along with the ' ...

(noble domain) of Soeiro Reymondo, who owned a manor in the area. In 1515, during the reign of

King Manuel I Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate (), 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, as monarch. Manue ...

, Gondomar was granted its first

foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The ''Carta de Foral'', or simply ''Foral'', was a royal document in Portugal and its former empire, whose purpose was to establish a ''concelho'' (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and priv ...

(charter), which modernized its administrative and fiscal framework as part of the monarch’s broader reforms aimed at centralizing power and updating local taxation systems. These fertile lands were also granted to Margarida de Vilhena, who was awarded various privileges, including income and rents from the territory. Over the following centuries, the jurisdiction (Julgado) of Gondomar underwent several changes. Various administrative adjustments in the localities of

Melres Melres is a town and a former civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their ...

, Rio Tinto, Lomba, and São Pedro da Cova altered the municipality's boundaries.

Avintes Avintes is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia. The population in 2021 was 10,838, in an area of 8.82 km2. It is known in Portugal as "Terra da Broa", meaning "Land of the Broa", referring to the Broa de Avintes, a t ...

and

Campanhã Campanhã () is a Portuguese ''freguesia'' ("civil parish"), located in the city of Porto Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is th ...

were previously a part of the municipality, although they are now part of the municipalities of

Vila Nova de Gaia Vila Nova de Gaia (; ), or simply Gaia, is a city and a municipality in Porto District in Norte Region, Portugal, Norte Region, Portugal. It is located south of the city of Porto on the other side of the Douro River. The city proper had a populati ...

and

respectively. In 1868, the parishes of São Cosme,

Valbom Valbom is a small village and a former civil parish in the municipality of Gondomar, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Gondomar (São Cosme), Valbom e Jovim. It has about 15,000 residents. It was elevated to city status on 9 ...

, Rio Tinto,

Fânzeres Fânzeres is a town and a former civil parish in the municipality of Gondomar, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Fânzeres e São Pedro da Cova. Its population is around 20,000. Fânzeres station, the terminus of line F of ...

, São Pedro da Cova, Jovim, Foz do Sousa, Covelo, Medas, Melres, and Lomba were incorporated into the municipality. São Cosme was officially confirmed as Gondomar's municipal seat in 1927 following a formal request to the Presidency of the Republic. In 1875, the opening of the

Minho Minho or Miño may refer to: People * Miño (surname) * Choi Min-ho, South Korean singer and actor known mononymously as Minho Places * Minho (river) or Miño, in Portugal and Spain Jamaica * Rio Minho, a river Portugal * Minho Province ...

and

Douro The Douro (, , , ; ; ) is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish Soria Province, province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern par ...

railway lines connected the parish of Rio Tinto to Porto and the

and

Trás-os-Montes Trás-os-Montes () is a geographical, historical and cultural region of Portugal. Portuguese language, Portuguese for "behind the mountains", Trás-os-Montes is located northeast of the country in an highland, upland area, landlocked by the Douro ...

regions. The station became a vital hub for transporting goods such as coal from São Pedro da Cova, corn, furniture, and passengers, driving industrial development in the area. The original station, unable to accommodate growing demand, was replaced in 1935 by the current building. In 2011, the

Porto Metro The Porto Metro () is a light rail network in Porto, Portugal and a key part of the city's public transport system. Having a semi-metro alignment, it runs underground in central Porto and above ground into the city's suburbs while using low-fl ...

light-rail system reached the areas of Rio Tinto, Baguim do Monte and Fânzeres. Significant milestones in the 20th century include the establishment of the parish of Baguim do Monte in 1985 and Gondomar's elevation to city status in 1991, followed by Rio Tinto in 1995 and Valbom in 2005.

Cities and towns

Cities are: * Gondomar (1991) * Rio Tinto (1995) *

(2005)

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 7 civil parishes ('' freguesias''): * Baguim do Monte *

Fânzeres e São Pedro da Cova Fânzeres is a town and a former civil parish in the municipality of Gondomar, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Fânzeres e São Pedro da Cova. Its population is around 20,000. Fânzeres station, the terminus of line F o ...

* Foz do Sousa e Covelo * Lomba *

Melres e Medas Melres e Medas is a civil parish in the municipality of Gondomar, Portugal. It was formed in 2013 by the merger of the former parishes Melres Melres is a town and a former civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrativ ...

* Rio Tinto *

Gondomar (São Cosme), Valbom e Jovim Gondomar (São Cosme), Valbom e Jovim is a civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can ...

Economy

Gondomar is recognized as the capital of goldsmithing in Portugal, accounting for 42% of the country’s annual production in the jewelry and goldsmithing sector. The municipality is home to approximately 445 businesses in this field, 70% of which are

sole proprietorships A sole proprietorship, also known as a sole tradership, individual entrepreneurship or proprietorship, is a type of enterprise owned and run by only one person and in which there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business entity. ...

, generating an estimated turnover of 50 million euros annually and employing around 800 people, making it the fourth-largest employment sector in the municipality. Jewelry from Gondomar is exported to countries such as Spain, Hong Kong, Germany, Italy, the United States, France, and Switzerland. To further enhance the industry's identity and global reach, Gondomar launched the "Gondomar Original Jewellery" certification mark in 2023.

Attractions

Gondomar is home to two museums that highlight the region's industrial heritage: the Museu Municipal de Filigrana (Municipal Filigree Museum) and the Museu Mineiro de São Pedro da Cova (São Pedro da Cova Mining Museum). The Museu Municipal de Filigrana, located at Casa Branca de Gramido in Valbom, showcases the municipality's rich tradition in

filigree Filigree (also less commonly spelled ''filagree'', and formerly written ''filigrann'' or ''filigrene'') is a form of intricate metalwork used in jewellery and other small forms of metalwork. In jewellery, it is usually of gold and silver, m ...

jewelry-making. Inaugurated on May 20, 2022, it features approximately 60 pieces of filigree, some of which were restored and inventoried by the municipality. It also includes tools, machinery, and furnishings donated by local artisans. Among its notable exhibits are a replica of the

Belém Tower Belém Tower (, ; literally: Bethlehem Tower), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent () is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers a ...

and a filigree dress designed by Micaela Oliveira in collaboration with jeweler Arlindo Moura. The Museu Mineiro de São Pedro da Cova, established in 1989, aims to preserve and promote the geologic and mining history of the São Pedro da Cova area. It is located in one of the former "Casas da Malta".

Sports

The town has one

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

team called Gondomar who currently play in the Campeonato de Portugal, the fourth tier of

Portuguese football Association football (), the most popular sport in Portugal, has a long and storied history in the country, following its introduction in 1875 in cities such as Funchal, Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra by English merchants and Portuguese students a ...

. It plays in the São Miguel Stadium in São Cosme.

Transports

Gondomar is integrated into the Porto metropolitan area's public transportation network. The

serves the municipality with Line F (Orange Line), which connects

, Baguim do Monte, and Rio Tinto to central Porto and the municipalities of

Matosinhos Matosinhos () is a City#Portugal, city and a Concelho, municipality in the district of Porto District, Porto in Portugal. The municipality covers an area of approximately and had 172,557 inhabitants in 2021. It is bordered by the municipalities o ...

Maia Maia (; Ancient Greek: Μαῖα; also spelled Maie, ; ), 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 daughter of A ...

Vila do Conde Vila do Conde (, ; "the Count's Town") is a municipality in the Norte Region, Portugal, Norte Region of Portugal. 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 ...

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 ...

. The line has frequent service intervals of 15 minutes during peak hours. The is part of Portugal's railway network, with

Comboios de Portugal CP — Comboios de Portugal, EPE (; ) is a state-owned company which operates passenger trains in Portugal. Prior to June 2009, CP stood for Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (English: ''Portuguese Railways'') although the company has been using it ...

providing urban services to Porto,

Braga Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...

Guimarães Guimarães () is a city and municipality located in northern Portugal, in the district of Braga. Its historic town centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, in recognition for being an "exceptionally well-preserved ...

, and

Marco de Canaveses Marco de Canaveses () is a city and municipality on Porto district, in northern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 53,450, in an area of 201.89 km2. The city itself had a population of 9,042 in 2001. Geography The city of Marco Canaveses i ...

. It provides an interchange with the Porto Metro. Additionally, Gondomar is served by STCP buses, which provide regular connections to Porto, and by other bus operators under the UNIR network, linking the municipality to surrounding areas.

Notable people

* Raul Melo (born 1969) a politician of the Chega party in the

Portuguese Parliament The Assembly of the Republic (, ), commonly referred to as simply Parliament (), is the unicameral parliament of Portugal. According to the Constitution of Portugal, the parliament "is the representative assembly of all Portuguese citizens". Th ...

since 2024 *

Cláudia Pascoal Cláudia Rafaela Teixeira Pascoal (; born 12 October 1994) is a Portuguese singer and songwriter from São Pedro da Cova, Gondomar. She represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with the song " O jardim" and she participated ...

(born 1994) a singer who represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 *

João de Sahagún João de Sahagún (9 April 1668–12 October 1730), born João Pinto Brandão, was a Roman Catholic prelate and missionary who served as Bishop of São Tomé e Príncipe from 1709 until his death in 1730. He was a member of the Discalced Augustin ...

(1668–1730) a Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of

São Tomé e Príncipe SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Serb Autonomous Regions (''Srpska autonomna oblast'', SAO), during the breakup of ...

, 1709–1730 *

Isabel Santos Maria Isabel Coelho Santos (born 12 February 1968)Member of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...

since 2019.

Sport

* Pedro Barbosa (born 1970) a Portuguese retired footballer with 422 club caps and 22 for

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

* Ricardo Braga (born 1985) known as ''Ricardinho'' a Portuguese futsal player who has played over 300 games and 160 for

* André Castro (born 1988) known as ''Castro,'' a Portuguese footballer with over 360 club caps * Joaquim Ferreira da Costa (born 1953) known as ''Ferreira da Costa'', a former football player and coach. *

Luís Frade Luís Diogo Sousa Frade (born 11 September 1998) is a Portuguese handball player for FC Barcelona and the Portuguese national team. Career Early career As a kid Frade played primarily Rugby and Basketball, and only discovered handball at the age ...

(born 1998) a

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...

player who played for

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly known as FC Barcelona and colloquially as Barça (), is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of ...

and the Portuguese national team. * Pedro Martins (born 1988) known as ''Coelho'', a

futsal Futsal is a variant of association football played between two teams of five players each on a court smaller than a football pitch. Its rules are based on the Laws of the Game (association football), Laws of the Game of association football, and i ...

player who played for Portugal's national team * Daniel Materazzi (born 1985) a footballer with over 320 club caps *

Rui Óscar Rui Óscar Neves de Sousa Viana, known as Rui Óscar (born 17 December 1975) is a former Portuguese football player. He played 10 seasons and 187 games in the Primeira Liga for Marítimo, Boavista, Leça, Beira-Mar and Porto. Club career He ...

(born 1975) a former football player * Ivo Rodrigues (born 1995) a footballer who plays as a winger or

attacking midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...

* André Silva (born 1995) a footballer who plays as a striker for

RB Leipzig RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V. (), commonly known as RB Leipzig or informally as Red Bull Leipzig, is a German professional association football, football club based in Leipzig, Saxony. The club was founded in 2009 by the initiative of the company ...

and the Portugal national team * Fábio Silva (born 2002) a footballer who plays as a

forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People *Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Smal ...

for

Las Palmas Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital city of the Canary Islands (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and the m ...

and the Portugal national team *

Jota Silva João Pedro Ferreira da Silva (born 1 August 1999), known as Jota Silva, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a winger for club Nottingham Forest and the Portugal national team. Club career Early career Silva was born in M ...

(born 1999) a

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who plays as a winger for

Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founde ...

and the Portugal national team * Rómulo Silva (born 1976) known as ''Rómulo'', a Portuguese former footballer with 506 club caps * Tiago Soares (born 1988) a former futsal player who played as a winger

Sister cities

Gondomar has the following sister cities: *

Barton-upon-Humber Barton-upon-Humber () or Barton is a town and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England. The population at the 2011 census was 11,066. It is situated on the south bank of the Humber Estuary at the southern end of the Humber Bridge. It is sou ...

, United Kingdom (1993) *

Feyzin Feyzin () is a Communes of France, commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region in eastern France. History The refinery near Feyzin was the location of an Feyzin disaster, explosion and fire on January 4 ...

, France (1986) * Gondomar, Spain (1981) *

Praia Praia (, Portuguese for "beach") is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde.Serras do Porto Park The Serras do Porto Park (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Parque das Serras do Porto'') is situated in the Porto metropolitan area, Porto Metropolitan Area, encompassing territories within the municipalities of Gondomar, Portugal, Gondomar, Par ...

References

External links

* http://www.cm-gondomar.pt/ {{Authority control Cities in Portugal Municipalities of Porto District 12th-century establishments in Portugal