Architecture sights in Porto
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A
Sé
From Praça da Ribeira rises a tangle of medieval alleys and stairways that eventually reach the hulking, hilltop fortress of the sé. Founded in the 12th century, this cathedral was largely rebuilt a century later and then extensively altered in the 18th century. However, you can still make out the church’s Romanesque contours. Inside, a rose window and a 14th-century Gothic cloister remain from its early days.
reviewed
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B
Capela Das Almas
Along pedestrianised Rua Santa Catarina, the Capela das Almas is a close second to Igreja do Carmo. Magnificent panels here depict scenes from the lives of various saints, including the death of St Francis and the martyrdom of St Catherine. Interestingly, Eduardo Leite painted the tiles in a classic 18th-century style, though they actually date back only to the early 20th century.
reviewed
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C
Igreja de São Francisco
Sitting on the nearby Praça Infante Dom Henrique, Igreja de São Francisco looks from the outside to be an austerely Gothic church, but inside hides one of Portugal’s most dazzling displays of baroque finery. Hardly an inch escapes unsmothered, as unworldly cherubs and sober monks alike are drowned by nearly 100kg of gold leaf.
reviewed
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D
Igreja Do Carmo
Porto has some stunning tilework, with a wide range of stories unfolding on the city’s old walls. One of the largest and most exquisite displays covers the Igreja do Carmo. Silvestre Silvestri’s magnificent 1912 panel illustrates the legend of the founding of the Carmelite order.
reviewed
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E
Igreja de Santa Clara
The Igreja de Santa Clara, east of the cathedral, was part of another Franciscan convent. Gothic in shape, with a fine Renaissance portal, its interior is also dense with elaborately gilded woodwork.
reviewed
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F
Igreja Dos Clérigos
Nasoni designed the Igreja dos Clérigos, with its theatrical facade and unusual, oval-shaped nave.
reviewed
