Chaves

Chaves: castle keep

Chaves, city and concelho (municipality), northern Portugal. It lies along the Tâmega River, north-northeast of Vila Real town.

The city, 5 miles (8 km) south of the Spanish frontier, is the site of a spa, the Chaves thermal springs, known as Aquae Flavius to the Romans, who fortified it. Chaves was later dominated successively by the Suebi, Visigoths, Arabs, and Spanish. Roman remains include a fully functioning 16-arch bridge and two inscribed columns. There are several notable medieval churches and a castle of the dukes of Bragança.

An agricultural and textile centre, Chaves is also known for its smoked ham. An anthropological institute is located in the city. Pop. (2001) city, 17,535; mun., 43,667; (2011 est.) city, 16,600; (2011) mun., 41,243.