Porto – Unesco World Heritage Site

This is an article meant to remind you that Porto (or Oporto) is by itself a Unesco World Heritage Site. Not that this fact was forgotten. It’s just that we have a feeling that Douro Valley has taken all the attention in the last few years. And Porto, the city, may be a bit jealous.

One of the most recognized Unesco World Heritage Site in Portugal is the Douro Wine Region. It’s probably true that the Douro Region attracts more attention because of the specific criteria that gave it Unesco’s stamp:

- iii) to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

- iv) to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

- v) to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.

No doubt that criteria iii) and v) on their own, and the three of them combined, perfectly match Douro Region. An outstanding region where Douro River carved its path through the mountains turning its shores into a unique landscape bearing land attributes that create the perfect conditions for the production of high quality wine grapes that turn to one of the best sweet wines that the world knows. When we look at the Douro Valley we are tempted to think about the negative impact of the human hand in nature. However, in this case, man and nature remarkably joined into a perfect symbioses resulting in a profound cultural richness.

2001 was the year of recognition if this landscape. But just as important as this World Heritage Site and cultural landscape, cosmopolitan Porto is sometimes forgotten as the city that best serves the Douro Region as its perfect culmination. Not only as a great city to visit and a place to drink a glass of Port Wine, but also as a Unesco World Heritage Site. In fact the city, or more precisely its downtown and medieval part, was recognized by Unesco earlier than the Douro Valley – in 1996. The recognition was based on the iv) criterion: to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.

This recognition surprisingly includes both banks of the river.Obvioulsy there is the perimeter inside of the XIV century walls on the right bank and then D. Luis I bridge connecting Porto and Gaia and finally on the left bank the Monastery of Serra do Pilar. This is the classified area but the protected area is bigger and also includes a lot more of the left bank of the river – Porto’s twin city - Vila Nova de Gaia. This is where we can find the Port Wine cellars which had such an important role in Porto’s economic and demographic development.

All the amazing layers of architecture of military, commercial and religious purposes testify a variety of historic periods making Porto a living museum.  The primitive walls dating back to 11th and 12th centuries, the medieval towers known to be constructed somewhere in the 13th century like the Torre da Rua de Baixo or the Casa do Beco dos Redemoinhos dating from the 14th century are only some of the heritage sites left by times when Porto was almost to become home and departure point of the great Portuguese Explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. The link between the eras may very much be the Muralha Fernandina – the second cincture of walls that was concluded in the late 14th century. From the discoveries era there are also lots of interesting places to visit that force you to breathe history. The Casa do Infante is known to be the birth place of Infante D. Henrique one of the most important historic Portuguese when it comes to the 14th and 15th centuries discoveries. The religious architecture is another ancient point of interest in Porto. The Sé Cathedral has its origins back in the 12th century and went through the centuries receiving new improvements and elements that range from the romanic, baroque and gothic periods. Another inevitable religious landmark is the Clérigos Church and Tower. This 18th century building (below) is mainly baroque with rich wood engravings in its interior. This is considered to be an ex libris of Porto and the masterpiece of Italian Architect Nicolau Nasoni who has in the streets of Porto his most important permanent exhibition. His last 50 years were spent in Porto and he left many of his art for us to admire while walking among the oldest parts of the city. From frescoes on the walls of the Cathedral to the Palace of Freixo and the façade of the Misericórdia Church, Nasoni transformed Porto into the most baroque and rococo city in Portugal. It is believed that he now rests somewhere in the Clérigos Church but the exact place is yet to be confirmed.

So next time you hear about the amazing Douro Valley Region, Unesco World Heritage Site, don’t forget that the urban climax of the region can be found where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean – in Porto. And we will address other equally important sites in Portugal that were recognized by Unesco. Just to avoid any bairrismo claim. If you don’t know what bairrismo is check this link or come visit Porto while you learn some Portuguese. We’ll be waiting for you.

Curiosity: Porto was always a commercial city. A city of merchants and bourgeois where in the middle ages no noble could stay for more than 3 nights and could not build a permanent residence.

OdP’s Team