{"id":15167,"date":"2023-08-27T12:54:40","date_gmt":"2023-08-27T12:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/38.242.230.232\/~portoalities\/?p=15167"},"modified":"2023-08-28T09:28:28","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T09:28:28","slug":"the-hidden-facts-about-porto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/en\/the-hidden-facts-about-porto\/","title":{"rendered":"The hidden facts about Porto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Interesting facts about Porto go far beyond the <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/discover-lello-bookstore-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lello Bookstore<\/a> or the <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/why-do-kids-jump-from-d-luis-bridge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">kids that jump from the Luiz I Bridge<\/a>. Do you want know about the Portuguese Robin Hood? What about the German origins of one of our famous dishes? These are the things that will allow you to REALLY dive deep into Portuguese culture and the city of Porto in particular. Check the most interesting facts about Porto below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Port Wine never actually sets foot in Porto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Porto is synonymous with <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/port-wine-dummies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Port wine<\/a>. Because of this, the fact that Port Wine never actually sets foot inside Porto is one of the most interesting facts about Porto and also <em>very<\/em> funny to me! Port Wine starts its life in <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/top-vineyards-in-douro-valley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the best vineyards in the Douro Valley<\/a>. I really can\u2019t do this region justice with just my words, so you should explore it on our <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/tours\/private-wine-tour-douro-valley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Private Wine Tour in the Douro Valley<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-24317\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"500\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/douro-valley-portoalities-tour.jpg\" alt=\"douro valley portoalities tour\" class=\"wp-image-127034\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/douro-valley-portoalities-tour.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/douro-valley-portoalities-tour-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Port wine then comes to Vila Nova de Gaia to be stored, just south of Porto. Why don\u2019t we just store it in Porto then? The answer is pretty simple\u2026 according to some. In some of <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/best-port-wine-lodges-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the best port wine lodges<\/a>, they\u2019ll tell you that, since Gaia faces north and is more sheltered from wind, and isn\u2019t as exposed to sunlight as Porto, it\u2019s a better place to store the Port. If this was the only reason, this wouldn\u2019t be one of the best facts about Porto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15181\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getyourguide.com\/porto-l151\/porto-cockburn-s-cellar-with-premium-tasting-and-pairing-t393495\/?partner_id=H93B56T&amp;cmp=hidden-facts-porto\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"479\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/wine-barrels-cockburns-port-wine-lodges-porto.jpeg\" alt=\"wine barrels cockburns port wine lodges porto\" class=\"wp-image-51292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/wine-barrels-cockburns-port-wine-lodges-porto.jpeg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/wine-barrels-cockburns-port-wine-lodges-porto-300x215.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cockburn&#8217;s Port Wine Lodge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Money also had a say in the location of the cellars. In the Middle Ages, the city was under the dominion of the Bishop of Porto, who was entitled to collect the \u201cPortagem da Terra\u201d, a heavy tax over all goods traded in our city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our kings weren\u2019t happy about the Church getting all of the profits so, in 1255, King Afonso III granted Gaia a \u201cForal\u201d. This royal document made Gaia independent from Porto and importantly, free from the Bishop\u2019s tax. A merchant\u2019s dream, I would say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why all the Port is stored in Gaia, then: the climate and the merchants\u2019 desire to escape one of the two certainties in life, taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Porto was the main battleground of the Portuguese Civil War<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s something all countries have in common: we\u2019ve all had a civil war. Ours took place from the 1832 to 1834, and Porto was its main battleground. But before getting to 1832, we just need to return to 1809, when the French invaded us for a second time. I promise it\u2019s all connected!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-24318\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"644\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/marechal-soult-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"marechal soult facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-126952\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/marechal-soult-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/marechal-soult-facts-about-porto-300x289.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Marechal Soult<\/em>, leader of the second French invasion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>They conquered Porto, but their progress south was stopped because the Ponte das Barcas, one of <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/discover-porto-bridges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the many bridges we\u2019ve had over the Douro River<\/a> collapsed while the population was trying to flee from the French. We still have a memorial to this disaster and its victims that you can see on our <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/tours\/private-full-day-tour-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Full day private tours in Porto<\/a>, along with what remains of the bridge that replaced the Ponte das Barcas!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15180\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"618\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/alminhas-ponte-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"alminhas ponte facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-126957\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/alminhas-ponte-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/alminhas-ponte-facts-about-porto-300x278.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Alminhas da Pont<\/em>e, the disaster&#8217;s memorial<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1820, influenced by the French ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, the Liberal Revolution started in Porto. It gave Portugal its first Constitution and it could\u2019ve been a part of this list of the top facts about Porto\u2026if it wasn\u2019t for the civil war that started precisely because of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On one side were the Liberals (the defenders of the Constitution), who were under siege inside of Porto for a year, between 1832 and 1833. The siege was the work of the Absolutists, who fought against the Constitution. The Absolutists occupied almost all land south of the Douro river, except for the Monastery of Serra do Pilar. Nowadays you won\u2019t find the Liberal army defending it, \u201cjust\u201d one of <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/where-can-i-take-the-best-photo-of-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the best viewpoints in Porto<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15184\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"427\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/serra-pilar-best-view-porto.jpg\" alt=\"serra pilar best view porto\" class=\"wp-image-34323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/serra-pilar-best-view-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/serra-pilar-best-view-porto-300x192.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monastery of Serra do Pilar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Liberals won the war in 1834, thanks to us here in Porto, who fought to defend our city and the Liberal ideals. And now we get to most interesting facts about Porto in the middle of this incredible story: the gifts that the liberals gave to our city!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To thank the city for its help, D. Pedro, the leader of Liberals, gave <em>his heart<\/em> to Porto. Yes, you read that right! Up to this day, his heart rests inside the <a href=\"https:\/\/irmandadedalapa.pt\/en\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Church of Lapa<\/a>, one of <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/most-beautiful-churches-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Porto\u2019s most beautiful churches<\/a>. You should visit the church, as I don\u2019t know where you\u2019ll find another one with a <em>king\u2019s heart in it<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15179\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"935\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/lapa-church-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"lapa church facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-126962\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/lapa-church-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/lapa-church-facts-about-porto-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/lapa-church-facts-about-porto-572x800.jpg 572w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Church of Lapa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides the heart, here\u2019s another item to add to your list of the most interesting facts about Porto: a few years after the civil war, Queen Maria II, D. Pedro\u2019s daughter, named Porto the<em> \u201cInvicta\u201d<\/em>, the \u201cundefeated city\u201d, a nickname that we still proudly use!\ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">One of Porto\u2019s most famous dishes is actually&#8230; German<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We have two very famous dishes in Porto: the \u201cFrancesinha\u201d, our amazing cheese and sauce-covered sandwich (we\u2019ve already told you the <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/best-francesinha-in-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">best restaurants to get a Francesinha<\/a>), and the \u201ctripas \u00e0 moda do Porto\u201d, our very own tripe and bean stew. The name literally translates to \u201ctripes made the Porto way\u201d, and you will find this dish at the <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/best-traditional-restaurants-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">best traditional restaurants in Porto.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"477\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/traditional-portuguese-beans-stew-tripas-moda-porto.png\" alt=\"traditional portuguese beans stew tripas moda porto\" class=\"wp-image-37351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/traditional-portuguese-beans-stew-tripas-moda-porto.png 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/traditional-portuguese-beans-stew-tripas-moda-porto-300x214.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Given the name of the dish, you would have thought that it is original from Porto\u2026 right?! If the answer was <em>yes<\/em>, this clearly wouldn\u2019t be one of the best facts about Porto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, there are plenty of stories and theories behind the true origin of \u201ctripas \u00e0 moda do Porto\u201d, but here, my friend, we will finally unveil the mysteries surrounding this dish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everybody in Porto will tell you that the \u201ctripas\u201d were born in 1415, when we conquered the city of Ceuta (in northern Morocco) and the people of Porto sent all the good meat on the ships to feed our soldiers.&nbsp;We were left only with the intestines and stomachs and so we started cooking them. Because of this, people started calling the people of Porto \u201ctripeiros\u201d, the tripe eaters. It\u2019s a fun story, <em>but it\u2019s all a lie<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"449\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/sao-bento-train-station-conquest-ceuta-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"sao bento train station conquest ceuta facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-126967\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/sao-bento-train-station-conquest-ceuta-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/sao-bento-train-station-conquest-ceuta-facts-about-porto-300x202.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The Conquest of Ceuta<\/em>, represented in the tiles of S\u00e3o Bento train station<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We did give a lot of good meat to our soldiers, but the truth is that the tripe that we eat is the invention of the Suebi people, from Germany. They came to Porto after the fall of the Roman Empire and spread their tripe-eating habits everywhere they went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here we have \u201cTripe made the Porto way\u201d, while in northern France, where the Suebi stopped on their way to Portugal, they have \u201cTripe made the Caen way\u201d. I guess our \u201ctripas\u201d are not as unique as some think, but they\u2019re still one of our most beloved dishes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">European Jewish History is always connected to Porto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Jewish presence in Porto is as old as the city itself (we\u2019ve even had multiple <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/history-jewish-quarters-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jewish quarters in our city<\/a>), but it only starts to play a part on the world stage after 1492. This is when the Spanish Kings expelled their Jewish population and a lot of them tried to come to Portugal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"367\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/king-ferdinand-queen-isabel-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"king ferdinand queen isabel facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-126972\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/king-ferdinand-queen-isabel-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/king-ferdinand-queen-isabel-facts-about-porto-300x165.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, the <em>Spanish Catholic Kings<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A group even went to our King to ask for permission for 30 of the most illustrious Spanish Jewish families to establish themselves in one of Portugal\u2019s cities. This city, of course, turned out to be Porto!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This group was led by the man that lands this list of the best facts about Porto: Isaac Aboab, a respected rabbi from one of the greatest Spanish Jewish families, who died in Porto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of his sons were born in Porto, but with the expulsion of Portugal\u2019s own Jewish population in 1496, the Aboab family started to spread all over Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elijah Aboab Cardoso, for example, who was the founder of Hamburg\u2019s first synagogue in 1630. Then, we have Isaac\u2019s great great grandson, Isaac Aboab da Fonseca.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He spent a good part of his life in Amsterdam, where a good number of Aboabs had gone to, but in 1642 he went to Brazil to become the rabbi of the first synagogue in the Americas!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"879\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/isaac-aboab-da-fonseca.jpg\" alt=\"isaac aboab da fonseca\" class=\"wp-image-126977\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/isaac-aboab-da-fonseca.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/isaac-aboab-da-fonseca-228x300.jpg 228w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/isaac-aboab-da-fonseca-608x800.jpg 608w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Isaac Aboab da Fonseca<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of the Aboabs, Porto\u2019s name is impossible to miss when talking about Jewish History. From Amsterdam, to Hamburg and Brazil, you can trace it all back to our city. The Aboabs are just a small part of this story, though. The amount of different tales that could be part of this list of amazing facts about Porto is way too big for this article. This is why we do our own <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/tours\/private-jewish-heritage-tour-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Private Jewish heritage tours in Porto<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Porto was the heart of Portuguese discoveries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Age of Discoveries is one of the most important parts of Portugal\u2019s History, and Porto was right in the center of it all. Some even say that we were also the cradle of these discoveries, because the man that started them was born in Porto: Prince Henry <em>The Navigator<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"852\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/prince-henry-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"prince henry facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-126987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/prince-henry-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/prince-henry-facts-about-porto-235x300.jpg 235w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/prince-henry-facts-about-porto-627x800.jpg 627w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Prince Henry,<em> The Navigator<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Navigator was born in Porto\u2019s old Customs House, while his parents were staying in Porto. He became so associated with the place that nowadays we know it as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/museudoporto.pt\/en\/estacao\/casa-do-infante\/?doing_wp_cron=1691660920.5541889667510986328125\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Casa do Infante<\/a>\u201d, the Prince\u2019s House.&nbsp; The Prince\u2019s House is my favorite museum in Porto! You get to see roman mosaics and a whole scale model of Porto in the Middle Ages. Going there is definitely one of the <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/top-things-to-do-in-portos-ribeira\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">best things you can do in the Ribeira area<\/a>, close to the Douro river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"769\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/casa-infante-ribeira.jpg\" alt=\"casa infante ribeira\" class=\"wp-image-126590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/casa-infante-ribeira.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/casa-infante-ribeira-261x300.jpg 261w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/museudoporto.pt\/en\/estacao\/casa-do-infante\/?doing_wp_cron=1691660920.5541889667510986328125\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Casa do Infante<\/a> in Ribeira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting back to the prince, he stayed in Porto for only a few months after his birth, but the expeditions he sponsored along Africa\u2019s west coast wouldn\u2019t have been possible without Porto.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of the ships that sailed across the Atlantic to Brazil and India were built here, in the shipyards of Lordelo do Ouro. The men on these ships were from Porto.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the late 1800s, we decided to honor the Navigator\u2019s role in our city\u2019s History by opening a square named after him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"437\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/infante-dom-henrique-square-porto.jpg\" alt=\"infante dom henrique square porto\" class=\"wp-image-126992\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/infante-dom-henrique-square-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/infante-dom-henrique-square-porto-300x196.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Infante D. Henrique Square<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s right above the Prince\u2019s House and at the center you have a statue of the Prince, pointing towards the Douro river and the ocean, a reminder of the Portuguese discoveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The ghost of the S. Bento train station<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Everybody knows about the S. Bento train station\u2019s tiles, among the <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/best-places-see-azulejo-tiles-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">best tiles you can see in Porto<\/a>. They just don\u2019t know about <em>its ghost<\/em> &#8211; and I bet you didn\u2019t think you\u2019d find a ghost on a list of facts about Porto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"445\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sao-bento-station-tiles.jpg\" alt=\"sao bento station tiles\" class=\"wp-image-34979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sao-bento-station-tiles.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sao-bento-station-tiles-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Much like half the buildings around here, S. Bento train station started out as a monastery, the Monastery of S\u00e3o Bento de Av\u00e9-Maria. It was built in the 1500s and its fate completely changed because of the Portuguese Civil War.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the liberal victory in 1834, the Minister of Justice dissolved male religious orders and the female orders weren\u2019t allowed to admit new novices. From then on, he would be known as \u201cthe Friar-Killer\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of this rule, the female orders started to die out as their last nuns died. This is precisely why the Monastery of S\u00e3o Bento de Av\u00e9-Maria came to an end and when we got our ghost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"577\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/sao-bento-ave-maria-old-monastery.jpg\" alt=\"sao bento ave maria old monastery\" class=\"wp-image-127025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/sao-bento-ave-maria-old-monastery.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/sao-bento-ave-maria-old-monastery-300x259.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The old monastery of S\u00e3o Bento de Av\u00e9-Maria, before its demolition <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The last nun died in 1892 and the train station was opened just 4 years after. Ever since 1896, she has haunted the station, praying silently in the quietest hours of the night (and cursing the Friar-Killer a few times, I bet). You may even find this ghost while exploring the station\u2019s beautiful tile panels on our <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/tours\/private-half-day-tour-porto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Half Day private tour of Porto<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The rivalry between Porto and Lisbon is about more than soccer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll start off by telling you that nowadays, Porto\u2019s rivalry with Lisbon <em>does<\/em> focus mostly on soccer. Matches between Porto and Benfica, Lisbon\u2019s biggest team, are always on the news and I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if a second civil war started over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"465\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/porto-benfica-football-match.jpg\" alt=\"porto benfica football match\" class=\"wp-image-126997\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/porto-benfica-football-match.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/porto-benfica-football-match-300x209.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Porto vs Benfica football match<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The second reason behind this rivalry is that rivalries are just <em>fun<\/em>. Personally, I find it fun to argue about accents, who has the best food\u2026 We don\u2019t even need to go as far as Lisbon. We do it with Gaia (the city just across the Douro river) and they\u2019re just to our south!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third reason behind the rivalry relates to politics and history. Porto has always been Portugal\u2019s second most important city and, as such, opposition to our government tends to gather here. It happened with the Liberal Revolution in 1820 and it carried on at least until the 20<sup>th<\/sup> century, with small revolts against our dictatorship in the late 20s. It doesn\u2019t matter what the government\u2019s political leanings are, we are always seen as the opposition to Lisbon\u2019s centralizing power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The diplomat who was smart like a garlic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not many people recognize the name Afonso Martins Alho, but he was one of the most important diplomats in Portuguese History. And he was born right here in Porto!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alho was a merchant in the 1300s, in Portugal\u2019s most mercantile city at the time and our king, D. Afonso IV, chose him to negotiate a commercial treaty with England.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was successful and this was the first of MANY treaties of commerce and friendship signed between Portugal and England. The treaty of 1373 marked the official start of our 650 year old alliance, the OLDEST alliance in the world!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The alliance led to a few royal marriages, like the one between Charles II of England and Princess Catarina de Bragan\u00e7a, who took the custom of drinking tea to England. I guess the Englishmen can thank Alho for that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"845\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/catarina-de-braganca-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"catarina de bragan\u00e7a facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-127002\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/catarina-de-braganca-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/catarina-de-braganca-facts-about-porto-237x300.jpg 237w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/catarina-de-braganca-facts-about-porto-632x800.jpg 632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Princess Catarina de Bragan\u00e7a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Alho became so famous for his smarts that, up to this day, we still say that someone is \u201cfino como um alho\u201d, which translates to smart like a garlic (yes, Alho\u2019s means garlic in Portuguese, which makes the expression so much funnier!). Nowadays we have a street named after him, pretty close to the S\u00e3o Bento train station, famous for how narrow it is and for having one of the best pieces of <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/street-art-in-porto-by-godmess\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">urban art in Porto<\/a>: Persp\u00e9ntico. It\u2019s a massive painting of a cat, as shrewd and smart as Alho!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"891\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/perspentico-cat-street-art.jpg\" alt=\"perspentico cat street art\" class=\"wp-image-127007\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/perspentico-cat-street-art.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/perspentico-cat-street-art-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/perspentico-cat-street-art-600x800.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Persp\u00e9ntico <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nobles weren\u2019t allowed to sleep in Porto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One thing I really like about Porto is that you can always find a connection to granite. It doesn\u2019t matter what you\u2019re talking about, granite is always lurking, waiting to show up, including on this list of the best facts about Porto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;We use granite a lot in our buildings and we even stopped nobles from sleeping in Porto just because of this rock!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"1005\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/main-facade-porto-cathedral.jpg\" alt=\"main facade porto cathedral\" class=\"wp-image-37459\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/main-facade-porto-cathedral.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/main-facade-porto-cathedral-199x300.jpg 199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cathedral of Porto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ok, I guess this needs some explaining. Our soil is mostly composed of granite, so it\u2019s not the best for agriculture. Due to that, the people of Porto turned to trading and fishing instead of farming. Porto, you see, became the city of merchants and the bourgeoisie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in the Middle Ages nobles had the right to demand to stay and sleep in any home they chose. This is when the problem starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The nobles would demand food, money and sometimes, after months away while trading and fishing, Porto\u2019s men would even find their wives were pregnant when they returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These abuses were too much for us to tolerate. The nobles were forbidden from buying homes in the city and, from 1374 onwards, they weren\u2019t allowed to stay in Porto for more than 3 days. Some tried to resist these restrictions, like Rui Pereira, so, as punishment, Porto\u2019s people burned their homes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Porto is the city of skylights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><\/strong>I know something as trivial as skylights doesn\u2019t seem worthy of being included on a list of the top facts about Porto. Just trust me, the story behind this is very interesting!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you look at Porto from one of our beautiful viewpoints (like the one at the Monastery of Serra do Pilar), there\u2019s one thing you\u2019ll notice straightaway: we have a ridiculous amount of <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/why-does-porto-have-so-many-different-skylights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">skylights<\/a> on our roofs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"445\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/porto-skylight-marques.jpg\" alt=\"porto skylight marques\" class=\"wp-image-35175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/porto-skylight-marques.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/porto-skylight-marques-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you look at our houses, you\u2019ll understand the need for these skylights. They are very narrow and long, so the skylights are our only hope of getting any kind of natural light inside them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, they were born for very practical reasons, but looking around you\u2019ll notice that some skylights are a bit more richly decorated than they need to be. This is because they started being used as social status symbol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll find skylights with iron sculptures on top, intricate plaster decorations on the inside and even colourful stained glass. I won\u2019t complain, it just makes Porto even more beautiful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Z\u00e9 do Telhado, the Portuguese Robin Hood<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-15185\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/portuguese-robin-hood-ze-telhado.jpg\" alt=\"portuguese robin hood ze telhado\" class=\"wp-image-15185\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 <a href=\"http:\/\/decaedela.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Decaedela<\/a>. Z\u00e9 do Telhado (right) known as the Portuguese Robin Hood.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Z\u00e9 do Telhado was a hero of one the wars we had in the middle of the 19<sup>th<\/sup> century, but then lived long enough to see himself became the villain\u2026 for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was born in 1818, but his story only starts to get interesting in 1846, when he joined the Revolution of Maria da Fonte against our government. He was so successful during this revolt that he was made a knight in the Order of Tower and Sword, our most prestigious award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He had an award, but that doesn\u2019t make you one of the most interesting facts about Porto. Z\u00e9 needed to pay his bills, so he turned to thievery. He was caught in 1859, and that\u2019s when we learned he stole from the rich to give to the poor, by sharing his loot with Penafiel\u2019s people!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is how he became our Robin Hood and worthy of being included among the best facts about Porto! Z\u00e9 do Telhado was imprisoned right in Porto in the Cadeia da Rela\u00e7\u00e3o, near the Cordoaria Garden, which just misses out on being on the list of <a href=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/best-parks-and-gardens-in-porto\/\">Porto\u2019s most beautiful gardens<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-15191\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"546\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/cadeia-relacao-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"cadeia relacao facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-127012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/cadeia-relacao-facts-about-porto.jpg 668w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/cadeia-relacao-facts-about-porto-300x245.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The old Cadeia da Rela\u00e7\u00e3o of Porto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While in jail, he met one Portugal\u2019s most famous writers, Camilo Castelo Branco, who was also imprisoned there. It was Camilo who shared his story, so there might\u2019ve been some embellishments here and there. But I promise most of the story is true!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Save this article for later:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"325\" height=\"487\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/most-interesting-facts-about-Porto..jpg\" alt=\"most interesting facts about Porto\" class=\"wp-image-35142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/most-interesting-facts-about-Porto..jpg 325w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/most-interesting-facts-about-Porto.-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 325px) 100vw, 325px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"325\" height=\"487\" src=\"http:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/list-interesting-facts-about-porto.jpg\" alt=\"list interesting facts about porto\" class=\"wp-image-35111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/list-interesting-facts-about-porto.jpg 325w, https:\/\/portoalities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/list-interesting-facts-about-porto-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 325px) 100vw, 325px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Interesting facts about Porto go far beyond the Lello Bookstore or the kids that jump from the Luiz I Bridge.\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":41124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[276,6092,185,16,50],"class_list":["post-15167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local_culture","tag-cellars","tag-facts","tag-history","tag-port-wine","tag-ribeira"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Facts about Porto: the most interesting ones! 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