Description of the attraction
Porto Cathedral in the historic center of the city is one of the oldest architectural monuments in the city and is a vivid example of the Romanesque style in the architecture of Portugal.
The construction of the cathedral began around 1110 under the patronage of Bishop Hugo and was completed in the 13th century. On the sides of the cathedral are two square towers, each supported by two pillars and crowned with a dome. The facade of the cathedral is not heavily decorated and from an architectural point of view it looks quite diverse - the porch is made in the Baroque style, and the rose window under the crenellated arch is in the Romanesque style. The Romanesque nave in the cathedral is rather narrow and has a roof with a cylindrical vault. On the sides of the nave there are two aisles under a low dome. The roof of the central aisle is supported by an arched buttress. The cathedral was the first building in Portugal to use this architectural detail. The courtyard is lined with the famous Portuguese azulejo tiles.
Originally built in the Romanesque style, the cathedral has undergone many changes over time, but the overall appearance of the facade has remained in the Romanesque style. Around 1333, a Gothic-style chapel was added to the cathedral, in which the Maltese knight Juan Gordo rests, and a little later a monastery was built in the same style nearby.
The exterior of the cathedral, like its interior, changed significantly during the Baroque era. In 1772, a new main portal replaced the old Romanesque portal, the domes on the towers were also redesigned, and an impressive silver altar was built in one of the chapels.
