PORTO

Porto is my city, where I was born and where I lived for years and where I left nostalgic memories. An old city, where the Douro river runs between the cities, Oporto and Gaia, in a golden light at the end of the day.

I was born at the Sta. Catarina Street in 1971.

Since I remember and as my family told me, my genealogical tree is from Oporto.

I’ve never lived in another place until 2003, when I moved to Lisbon, and where I live nowadays.

Probably the portuguese saying “Far from the sight, near to the heart.” makes all the sense in my case.

When I’m near the city, crossing the bridges and seeing the view, all those small houses painted in yellow, white and brown, making old cascades embraced by a nostalgic light, makes me want to stay there forever.

Only who was born or lived in the city can understand this feeling, this closeness to Oporto.

Mornings wake with fog, the sun appears in the middle of the morning and embrances the cold city with its warm light.

Full of History, monuments, great typical food and wonderful people, the city is a place very visited during all year by tourists from all over the world.

Condado Portucalense Map

Muralha Fernandina

Portugal's first flag

The city is very old. Mixed with the contemporary civilization, remains of ancient architecture, legends and traditions.

First King of Portugal
D. Afonso Henriques 1109 — 1185

We are recognized for being welcoming people. Our door is always open to visitors, friends and family, and we are also very proud of our city, and its history.

The typical Oporto’s accent, is very strong, and descends directly from the Galaíco-Portuguese, an extinct language, which is a traditional and very popular mark.

Port’s wine is a unique brand, rich and strong, this drink is very appreciated all over the world.

The lodges are placed in Gaia and the river is an exhibit of “barcos rebelo” full of “pipas”. These boats were used for centuries to bring the wine from the Douro’s region to Oporto, down the river.

I recommend visiting the city during the Autumn, when the leaves and the trees are golden and the streets smell of “castanhas assadas” (roasted chestnuts), sold wrapped in a newspaper cone.

On the nigh of the 23^rd to 24^th of June, when it’s the city’s holiday, there is a very important event, currently devoted to São João (St. John) but originally a pagan festival, in which the vast majority of the population participates, during all night and all day. In this event, people go out to the streets, and have fun launching hot-air balloons, jumping bonfires spread across the city and beating other people with plastic hammers and garlic flower. The fireworks take place at midnight, near the Dom Luis I bridge and it’s a very long and beautiful show.

The city lies between the Atlantic sea and the Douro river, with lots of green areas, as well as urban spaces, giving us a diverse range of possibilities to plan a visit.

Next, I will present a research I made about the history of Porto, with places to visit, links to some relevant websites, with 360º views of monuments, and some characteristics of the city and its people.

Some people say that Porto is rough, rustic, dark, all this may be true but it has a very special charm.

Porto is known to be the city of bridges.

Maria Pia

Dom Luis I

Arrábida

São João

Infante

- Ponte de Maria Pia, also known under the name of the Eiffel bridge because it was built by Eiffel. It was inaugurated in 1877, is 354 m long and was a railway bridge. It is now closed.

- Ponte Dom Luís I was built in 1886 by a Belgian company, 172 m and has 2 roadways. Designed by an Eiffel disciple, Teófilo Seyrig.

- Ponte da Arrábida was inaugurated in 1963, is 270 m long and is a road bridge, built by a Portuguese architect, Edgar Cardoso.

- Ponte de S. João, a railway bridge built in 1992 to replace the Eiffel bridge.

- Ponte do Freixo, a road bridge inaugurated in 1995.

- Ponte Infante D.Henrique inaugurated in 2003.

Places to visit -

Besides the University Museums, there are also other museums (regional or even national) all over the city. Some of them are free, others offer discounts for students or are free one day a week. Of all the museums in Porto, stress should be given to Serralves Contemporary Art Museum, inaugurated in 1999. This museum was designed by the Portuguese architect Siza Vieira (who was also responsible for designing the Faculty of Architecture of the U.Porto). This museum is entirely dedicated to the Contemporary Art and improves significantly the artistic programmes of the Fundação de Serralves.

Stress should be given also to the National Museum Soares dos Reis, located in Palácio das Carrancas, a neoclassical building. This museum shows regularly all sorts of works of art of the 19th and 20th centuries, mostly paintings and sculptures. Stress is also given to decorative arts.

Over the last few years the number of art galleries has also increased. They show on a regular basis both national and international works of art.
The historical and architectural richness of Porto can be seen in the wide variety of monuments, as well as in the great cultural diversity of the city, which accounts for its classification as World Heritage.
There are historical landmarks all over the city.

I suggest a one day tour through the Historical Centre -

Begin in the shopping area whose hallmark is the Rua de Santa Catarina (street). In this area you will find a large and varied selection of shops, some of which are of Art Nouveau architectural style. Of these, be sure to appreciate the greatest achievement of this artistic movement; the Café Majestic. Here you can drink a "cimbalino", the name given a traditional coffee, and taste the city's confectionery.

Descend the Avenida dos Aliados (avenue) where you should not miss the Câmara Municipal (Municipal Council Hall) of an architectural style dating from the beginning of the 20th century. Pass by the Igreja dos Congregados (a church of the end of the 17th century and beginning of the 18th century) and make a stop at the Estação de São Bento (railway station) to appreciate the historical blue glazed tile panels. Follow Avenida Dom Afonso Henriques and climb up to the Sé (cathedral). Nearby are the Casa-Museu Guerra Junqueiro (house-museum) and the Igreja de São Lourenço or otherwise named Grilos church of mannerist style. Descend towards the Ribeira by the Escadas das Verdades, from which you can observe a notable view of the Ponte Dom Luís. Then walk through the Barredo quarter. The Casa do Infante, an archaeological centre and museum in a building with mediaeval foundations, is an obligatory stop. It was where the great impeller of the Portuguese Discoveries, Prince Henry the Navigator, was born in 1394. In the Centro Regional de Artes Tradicionais (Regional Centre of Traditional Arts) in the very heart of the Ribeira, you can acquaint yourself with the handicrafts of the north. Then climb up to the Praça Infante Dom Henrique (square) to visit the Igreja de São Francisco (church) and the Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace).
In Rua Ferreira Borges (street) you will find the old market building, now an exhibition hall whose ironwork architecture is worthy of admiration. Continue to climb up to the Igreja dos Clérigos, a baroque monument finished in 1773 and a city hallmark. End your tour by climbing the 240 steps of the Torre dos Clérigos, one of the viewing points that provides one with a global view of the mediaeval city.
The Torre dos Clerigos built between 1754 and 1763 by Nicolau Nasoni is an 88 meters bell tower. It offers fantastic views from the top.



Some important links -

Oporto Map

Oporto Câmara Municipal

www.portocityguide.com

www.360portugal.com/Distritos.QTVR/Porto.VR/vilas.cidades/Porto/Palacio_da_Bolsa/Salao_Arabe.html

www.360portugal.com/Distritos.QTVR/Porto.VR/vilas.cidades/Porto/a13_CaisGaiaRebelos.html

www.360portugal.com/Distritos.QTVR/Porto.VR/vilas.cidades/Porto/a13_DLuisIGaia.html

www.360portugal.com/Distritos.QTVR/Porto.VR/vilas.cidades/Porto/a5_lelloF.html

Oporto Restaurants

Oporto Hotels

Other major and amazing works from Nicolau Nasoni in Porto and northern Portugal:

* 1731-1773 - Igreja, enfermaria e torre da Irmandade dos Clérigos, Porto
* 1734 - Paço Episcopal, Porto
* 1737 - Obras de arquitectura na Quinta de Santa Cruz do Bispo, Matosinhos
* 1738 - Chafariz e escadaria do Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, Lamego
* 1742-1754 (ca.) - Palácio do Freixo e jardim envolvente, Porto
* 1743-1747 - Fachada da Igreja do Senhor Bom Jesus, Matosinhos
* 1743-1758 (ca.) - Casa e jardins da Quinta da Prelada, Porto
* 1745 - Fonte das Lágrimas, Porto
* 1745 - Restauro da Igreja Paroquial de Santa Marinha, Vila Nova de Gaia
* 1746-1749 - Casa do Despacho da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco, Porto
* 1748-1754 - Igreja paroquial de Santiago de Bougado, Trofa
* 1749 - Fachada da Igreja da Misericórdia do Porto, Porto
* 1750-1751 - Dois projectos para a Cadeia e Tribunal da Relação e Jardim da Cordoaria, Porto (não chegando a ser concretizados)
* 1725-1739 - Obras de arquitectura na Sé do Porto, nomeadamente a galilé, Porto
* data desconhecida - Palácio de São João Novo, Porto (mandado construir por Pedro da Costa Lima; alguns estudiosos atribuem a Nasoni, outros a seus discípulos)
* 1727-1737 (ca.) - Obras de arquitectura e escultura na Quinta dos Cónegos, nomeadamente os chafarizes, Maia
* 1733-1735 (ca.) - Casa e capela na Quinta de Fafiães, Leça do Balio, Matosinhos
* 1737 (ca.) - Chafariz de São Miguel ou do Anjo, junto à Sé do Porto
* 1740 (ca.) - Casa-Museu Guerra Junqueiro, foi Casa do Dr. Domingos Barbosa, Porto (atribuído por alguns a Nasoni, embora com dúvidas)
* 1740-1743 (ca.) - Corpo central do Palácio de Mateus, Vila Real (atribuído a Nasoni, segundo alguns estudiosos)
* 1743-1746 (ca.) - Casa da Quinta do Chantre, Matosinhos
* 1743-1747 - Capela da Quinta da Conceição, Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos
* 1745 (ca.) - Fachada lateral da igreja do Convento de Corpus Christi, Vila Nova de Gaia
* 1746 (ca.) - Casa de Ramalde, da família Leite Pereira, Porto
* 1746-1758 (ca.) - Casa e jardins da Quinta do Viso, Senhora da Hora, Matosinhos
* 1746-1763 - Igreja do Recolhimento dos Órfãos de Nossa Senhora da Esperança, Jardim de São Lázaro, Porto
* 1749-1754 (ca.) - Capela da Casa dos Maias, Porto
* 1750 (ca.) - Reconstrução da Casa de Vandoma, Rua de D. Hugo, Porto
* 1750 (ca.) - Casa Barroso-Pereira, Porto
* 1754-1760 (ca.) - Risco para a fachada da Igreja do Carmo (continuada por discípulos), Porto
* 1756-1759 - Igreja da Ordem do Terço, Porto
* 1757 - Capela de Nossa Senhora do Pinheiro, Porto
* 1759 - Palácio de Bonjóia, Porto
* 1760 (ca.) - Risco para as obras de arquitectura e decoração de jardins para a Quinta do Alão, Matosinhos

Nicolau Nasoni (1691-1773)

Vacations in Porto can be very pleasant, cultural and entertaining, so come and visit us.

Diana