Special outing to Porto historic Parishes

The Porto. News team takes you in a special outing through the history and culture of its historic parishes, from Cedofeita, to Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau, Santa Maria da Vitória and Santo Ildefonso.

We arrive in Cedofeita parish. Local landmarks include the Church of Cedofeita (dedicated to Saint Martin), the Mouzinho de Albuquerque Plaza, the Oliveira's Fountain, several chapels and modern architecture buildings.

The renowned film director Manoel de Oliveira was born here in 1908. 

Then, we follow to Santo Ildefonso, a former civil parish in the municipality of Porto. A major landmark is the Church of Santo Ildefonso, with its 11 thousand traditional tile (azulejo) in the building façade.

Sé is one of the four districts within the UNESCO World Heritage Classified Zone of Porto, the others being São Nicolau, Vitória, and Miragaia.

We head to Sé, which is considered to be the birthplace of the city. Porto has thrived through this historic parish made fortress by its primitive settlers.

Local landmarks include Porto Cathedral (which gave the name to the parish), Santa Clara Church, several chapels and episcopal buildings. It is also the location of São Bento train station, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world.

The journey continues to the land of the arcades and alleys, namely Cale, Miragaia and the oldest museum in the country, the National Museum Soares dos Reis, where time and site can be read in the decor.

We continue to the riverside parish of São Nicolau, the very typical and down to earth parish, testimony of the dedication and persistence of the people of Porto, which most remarkable example is the Stock Exchange Palace, a building built over 70 years.

We head to the virtuous Santa Maria da Vitória, where relics such as pieces and coins from Roman, Suevian, Visigoth and Arabic ages can be seen.

A major landmark of Vitória is the Clérigos Tower ("Torre dos Clérigos") and the site of an imposing military building of vast dimensions, the Sto. Ovídio Military Barrack.

The Vitória district is bounded by the Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, São Nicolau, Sé, and Miragaia districts.

The tour is completed in Santo Ildefonso, where we visit the City hall building. A magnificent building that consists of six floors, a basement and two interior patios. To reach the top of the central tower, 70 meters high and which includes a chime clock, one has to take a 180-step climb.

Fundamentally made of marble and granite, the interior of the building has some beautifully decorated places where the most solemn ceremonies and the usual Municipal Assemblies and Executive Meetings are held.