«The city of Oporto, built along the hillsides overlooking the mouth of the Douro river, is an outstanding urban landscape with a 2,000-year history. Its continuous growth, linked to the sea (the Romans gave it the name Portus, or Port), can be seen in the many and varied monuments, from the cathedral with its Romanesque choir, to the neoclassical Stock Exchange and the typically Portuguese Manueline-style Church of Santa Clara.»
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| Historic Centre of Oporto - Map of the inscribed property (source: UNESCO) |
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| UNESCO - Historic Centre of Porto (Photos: Fiona Starr; Therin Weise; Vincent Long; Tim Schnarr) |
«The Historic Centre of Oporto is a commercial port that has been looking to the west for its trade for over 1000 years. The nominated area is enclosed within the 14th century city walls.
The city is situated along the river Douro, which has three impressive bridges (one of these, the Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, was built in 1877 by Gerard Eiffel). The old city centre lies on a steep hill. It is full of cathedrals, churches, monasteries and a bishops palace. All buildings were erected between the 13th and 19th century, without any plan and using totally different building styles.
One of the most impressive buildings is the Torre dos Clerigos, the highest tower in Portugal measuring 76 meters. It was built between 1754 and 1763, under supervision of the architect Nicolau Nazoni. You can climb the granite tower via 200 steps.
(O)porto has enough to offer to easily spend a week there. Maybe it seems a Southern European city like so many others, but the atmosphere is unique.
If you are tired of the monuments (and the food!), you can always taste one of many Port-samples handed out freely by the wine companies.»
Source: World Heritage Site – Oporto
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