Description of the attraction
Clerigos Church is a Catholic church in the city of Porto. The bell tower of the church - Torre dos Clérigos - is visible from anywhere in the city and is a symbol of the city of Porto, and since 1910 it has been officially a national architectural monument.
The Baroque church was built for the Brotherhood of Clerics by the Italian architect and artist Nicola Nasoni. Subsequently, Nicola Nasoni joined the Brotherhood of Clerics. And after his death, according to his last will, he was buried in the church crypt.
The church was built over 18 years - from 1732 to 1750. The main facade of the building is decorated with reliefs and garlands and has a pediment, which is characteristic of the Baroque style. The side facades form the oval shape of the church nave. The church became one of the first "oval" baroque churches in Portugal. The interior decoration of the church is marble and granite. The altar painting by the artist Manuel dos Santos Porto attracts attention.
Torre dos Clerigos is the tallest bell tower in Portugal. Its height reaches 76 meters. For many years, it served as a reference point for ships approaching the city that exported port.
The bell tower of Torre dos Clerigos, with bells on two tiers (third and sixth), is located on the west side of the church. The construction of the bell tower was also carried out under the leadership of Nicola Nasoni for 9 years - from 1754 to 1763. It is also decorated in a Baroque style and decorated with statues of saints. 225 steps of a spiral staircase lead to the sixth floor of the bell tower, where there is an observation deck and from where you can see the ancient districts of the city of Porto and the Duro River at a glance.
