VILA DO CONDE

town and concelho (township), Porto district, northwestern Portugal. It lies at the mouth of the Ave River, north of Porto. Dating from Roman times, the town received its charter about 1500 from King Manuel I. Its harbour and shipbuilding industry were important in the 15th and 16th centuries. Vila do Conde is basically a fishing port, and there is a fish farm nearby. Local manufactures include rope, textiles, confectionery, and lace. Two dominant landmarks are the huge Santa Clara Convent (14th century), built on a hill overlooking the Ave River valley, and sections of an 18th-century, 999-arch aqueduct. The Celtic ruins of Bagunte are nearby at the junction of the Ave and Este rivers. Pop. (1981) town, 20,245; concelho, 64,402; (1991) town, 19,990; concelho, 64,836.