Vila do Conde

Vila do Conde is a municipality in the Norte Region of Portugal. 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, forming a single urban agglomeration which is a part of the Porto Metropolitan Area. The town is on the Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago.

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 Mindelo 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 (English: roadway), and inter-municipal roadways, along a north–south axis from Vila Nova de Cerveira until Porto 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 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. Similarly, the EN104 crosses the municipality in the centre, along a similar orientation (east to west), and connects Vila do Conde with Trofa and Santo Tirso. 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 byTransdev. 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 15 km (9 mi) 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 (Portuguese: 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, Póvoa de Varzim, with a fountain in the monastery of Santa Clara.
Municipal Hall of Vila do Conde (Portuguese: 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 (Portuguese: 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 (English: Noble Hall), in particular, are the centrepieces of the building, with an ornate portrait of Queen Maria II of Portugal surmounted by royal coat of arms.
Mill of Azurara (Portuguese: 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 (Portuguese: Forte de São João Baptista) – the fort is located at the mouth of the Ave River.

Religious

Chapel of Our Lady of Help (Portuguese: 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 showing the life of Christ, and a Rococo-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, China and Japan, and his wife Bárbara Ferreira de Almeida; both were buried there on their deaths.
Chapel of Our Lady of Guidance (Portuguese: 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 (Portuguese: Igreja de São João Baptista) – also referred to as the Matrice Church of Vila do Conde, located along the Rua da Igreja, the building is a late Gothic 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 (Portuguese: 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 (Portuguese: 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 (Portuguese: 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 (English: 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 (Portuguese: 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, Manueline, Baroque 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 (Portuguese: 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 (18 km (11 mi) 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, theFeira 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.