Architectural mix and match
The Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto)
The building of Porto's cathedral began in the 12th century. The architectural mix reveals that it was in constant development, adopting elements from different eras and styles. The temple is predominantly Baroque in style, although its façade and the nave are Romanesque; its cloister and one of the chapels are Gothic. The building reached its present dimensions in the 13th century. The cathedral's external appearance was greatly altered by Nicolau Nasoni, Porto's favorite architect and artist, who added an elegant Baroque loggia to the cathedral's lateral façade in 1736 . The largest and one of Porto's oldest monuments is located in the oldest part of town. The square in front of the cathedral (Largo da Sé) was the heart of the city, where shops were set up in the Middle Ages; the column in the middle is where the criminals of Porto were hanged. The square offers impressive views over the city, the Douro river and the wine cellars at the waterfront.
As seen on
Porto City Tour: the city of port wine
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