Porto is located by the Douro River just a few kilometers inland from where the river runs into the Atlantic Ocean in the
northwest of
Portugal. It is the
second largest city in Portugal. It is surrounded by a number of smaller cities, and as a whole, this conurbation is the largest in Portugal, with some
1.9 million inhabitants.
Porto’s history goes back to Celtic times, and it was during the
Middle Ages that it developed into one of Portugal’s most
important trading cities. It was in the 18th century that Porto became an important link
between the
Douro Valley wine producers and wine importing countries like England.
Production of
port wine became big business, and the wine was transported on
rabelos (traditional flat bottom boats) down the river to Porto where it was kept in large warehouses by the riverfront in
Vila Nova di Gaia, the city opposite Porto on the south side of the river. From there the wine was shipped out to buyers in other European countries and, increasingly, the rest of the world.
Porto has broadened its commercial base considerably since then, but it remains
Portugal’s most important trading city. With strong links to the rest of the world it is a
self-confident and very
independent city with a will of its own.
Its independent-mindedness has come to expression both militarily and politically over the centuries, and Porto is often referred to as the
Cidade Invicta (the unvanquished city) since it has never been conquered militarily either by the Romans, the Moors or the French Napoleonic armies.
The historic center was classified as a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO in 1996, and it is indeed a
beautiful part of the city. The area down by the Douro River is particularly striking, with the
wine cellars by the riverfront on the southern side, plenty of
restaurants,
bars and hotels on the north side and the
iron bridge (Ponte D Luís I) connecting the two sides.
The city center is full of
beautiful buildings (many of them with a
faded look that paradoxically makes them even more beautiful) and a particularly dominant feature is the use of colored tiles,
azulejos, on the facades. Some of the finest tile murals can be found on the city churches and inside of the main city center railway station.
An old and in many ways
traditional town, Porto has nonetheless transformed itself into a modern,
forward-looking city with
tourism and
cultural activities as important industries. It was
European Capital of Culture in 2001 and took part in hosting the
EURO 2004 football championships in Portugal.
Massive investments have seen the building of a
new football stadium and a major
refurbishment of the city’s
airport as well as the construction of a hugely impressive new music hall, the
Casa da Musica.
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