historic city of porto – world heritage site (unesco)
Officially the Ancient, Very Noble, Ever Loyal and Undefeated City of Porto, is one of the oldest city centers in Europe with its core named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Travelers from around the world visit its streets and use it as a base to discover the Douro Valley and River.
The Historic Centre of Porto built along the hills overlooking the mouth of the Douro River in northern Portugal, is an outstanding urban landscape with a 2,000-year history. The Romans gave it the name “Portus Cale“, or port, in the 1st century BC.
Located approximately 173 miles / 280 kms north of Lisbon, the historic center of Porto was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Among the city’s architectural landmarks, the Porto Cathedral (“Se do Porto“) is the oldest surviving structure, along with the small Romanesque Church of Cedofeita, the Gothic Church of Saint Francis, remnants of the defensive city walls, and several 15th-century houses.
Visitors to the city will aim to enjoy a closeup experience of its most popular attractions: churches of Misericórdia and Clérigos, the Episcopal Palace of Porto, the Stock Exchange Palace (“Palácio da Bolsa”), the Hospital of Saint Anthony, the city hall, the buildings of Liberdade Square and “Avenida dos Aliados“, the tile-adorned São Bento railway station, and the gardens of the “Palácio de Cristal”.
