Porto Cathedral, also known as Sé do Porto Catedral, is by far the most famous and the oldest historical Romanesque landmarks of the cultural city Porto. Situated in the oldest district of Porto, named the same as the city, the edifice is listed as generally accepted must-see for tourists. If you happen to be in Porto, it is impossible to avoid the imposing silhouette of the cathedral!
The origin of the Porto Cathedral is arguable since many people claim it to be constructed back in the first half of the 12th century, whereas others undermine this fact due to the historical inaccuracies. However, the most precise we can get is considering the date of laying the foundation is the second half of the 12th century. Sé do Porto is a very important building because of numerous events that were held there, including the wedding of Kings D. João I and D. Filipa de Lencastre and the Baptism of Prince Henry the Navigator in the 14th century.
Regarding architecture, the Porto Cathedral represents a unique merge of three styles, namely: Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque plus other minor influences. All of them can be clearly seen in the exterior and the interior of the building, enabling us to say that Sé do Porto reflects the historical trends, dominant in the city at different times.
For example, the narrow nave and fortress-like Romanesque façade with two towers and traditional rose in the front are original, sending us to the 12th century. However, the funerary chapel of João Gordo was added in the 14th century, so that the Gothic style met the Romanesque. Later, in the 18th century, a lot of baroque elements appeared in the construction. For instance, the baroque portal replaced the old one, as well as roofs of turrets near the main entry. Another addition belonged to Nicolau Nasoni, who played a significant role in the architectural tradition of Porto, since he participated in designing of sundry city buildings, including the Clérigos Tower.
One more Gothic construction is the cloister, decorated by indigenous Baroque azulejos tiles, depicting many scenes from the Bible and "Metamorphoses" by Ovid. After the cloister, you can visit the Sacres Art Museum, holding the most precious possessions of Sé do Porto. Also, the silver altar is worth attention due to its beauty and history: the story says, when Napoleon invaded Porto with its army, the altar was painted to disguise the silver. In the end, the trick worked and the altar stayed untouched! So, do yourself a favor and go see the imposing edifice of the Porto Cathedral, and then walk along the square Largo da Sé to hunt for more city views!
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