Santa Clara Aqueduct

The Aqueduct of Santa Clara is the second largest aqueduct system in Portugal, after Lisbon's famous Águas Livres. Built in the 18th century to supply the Monastery of Santa Clara, its 999 arches run across the landscape on the northern edge of Vila do Conde in a long, elegant procession that is one of the most striking pieces of civil engineering in northern Portugal.

The best views are from the road and path below, where the arches frame the monastery beyond. The aqueduct is freely accessible and makes a good anchor for a walk through the upper town. The sight of it cutting across the landscape on a clear day — the clean lines of the arches, the moss on the stone, the monastery at the far end — is one of those views that stays with you.

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A story
The aqueduct was built in the 18th century to carry water from a spring to the Monastery of Santa Clara, some 3 km away. It was funded by the convent's income and built on the scale of a public work: 999 arches at its full extent, running across the town and down to the river. Local legend claims the aqueduct was built to stop one arch short of a thousand because an even thousand would have given the convent power over the town — a story that probably says more about local politics than medieval numerology.

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