PORTO photoblog

Today Casa do Infante is a complex of buildings that occupies an extensive area of Oporto's riverfront. It's history goes back to 1325, when King Afonso IV ordered the construction of a royal warehouse against the will of the Bishop, then lord of the town. Thus the Customs House of Oporto was created, to which all merchandise arriving at the port was sent, so that the respective duty could be levied. Casa do Infante - Customs House The medieval Customs House The first building consisted of two high towers and a central courtyard, whose original location can still be identified. The higher floors of the North Tower served as residence. Commercial development was reflected in the way the Customs House was progressively turned into a monument. As early as the 15th century, King D. João I ordered the construction of a forward section, whose portico was capped with a lintel bearing an inscription and a niche where a statue of the Virgin Protector of Customs Hous...

In the first quarter of the nineteenth century, there are records of 22 street lamps lighting the Church's façade and 48 lighting the Tower , but only at important city festivities or on national jubilation dates. Clerigos Tower Whether it was a momentary caprice or decreed by Divine Providence, the Tower, which was last constructed, is today the city's landmark and the main signature of the architect, whose designs are the most imprinted in this city. Also see: Porto - Portugal (EN)   http://photoblog-favoritus.blogspot.pt/2014/12/porto-portugal-en.html João Pires

No Porto, como em todas as cidades, vigoram duas toponímias, que apenas parcialmente se confundem. A primeira é a oficial, a que vem nos roteiros e guias. A segunda é a que os portuenses consagraram. Há nomes que pegam, outros que nunca passaram do papel. E não é fácil descortinar um critério, adivinhar de antemão as denominações que a posteridade irá abençoar. A Praça Gomes Teixeira é um desses casos de toponímia burocrática. Não serão muitos os habitantes da cidade que a conhecem por tal nome, e muito menos os que assim lhe chamam no quotidiano. Para efeitos prácticos, é a Praça dos Leões . Praça dos Leões Se não faltam, em ruas e praças do Porto, designações um tanto absurdas, homenageando, muitas vezes, personagens que em nada relaciona ao local da respectiva consagração, a verdade é que nem é esse o caso da Praça de Gomes Teixeira, já que a longa e brilhante carreira docente do ilustríssimo matemático Francisco Gomes Teixeira está intimamente liga...

O Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro, galardoado com o prémio do "Melhor Aeroporto do Mundo", na categoria de cinco milhões de passageiros", está localizado numa importante zona comercial e industrial do País e a penas a dez quilómetros do Porto. Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro É por isso uma porta privilegiada para uma das zonas de maior desenvolvimento industrial de Portugal e a principal infra-estrutura em toda a região Noroeste Peninsular sendo o segundo aeroporto português com maior tráfego aéreo, com capacidade para seis milhões de passageiros ao ano. Nele operam as maiores companhias aéreas europeias ( Air France , Iberia , Lufthansa , Luxair , SATA , TAP ), com voos regulares para as principais cidade de todo o Mundo. Para além das companhias citadas, também operam no Aeroporto Sá Carneiro diversas companhias Low Cost ( Clickair , Ryanair , Easyjet , Brussels Airlines , TUIfly , Volareweb , Air Berlin , Transavia ) que un...

A country is born, a nation is made, it grows, it earns identity and memories, Portugal is born in the North. History is built at the fortified villages, at the roman paths, in the medieval churches, in the ancient manor houses and in each stone remaining from the castles. Castelo de Guimarães The origins of our people are linked to the city of Guimaraes and to the bravery of our first King, D. Afonso Henriques, who went down towards South, conquering lands owed by the Moors. In the Northern Portugal, cultural richness and natural beauty are unique and diverse. Minho has in it's heart stories from brave women. The coastline, next to the Atlantic blue, is rich in salt, seaweed and legends about the fishing and the sea. The coastline, next to the Atlantic blue The hills share their space with the granite and the green from the forests, where branchy trees prevail, like oak and beech trees. Together they form parks with single beauty, like the Parq...

Porto com Histórias relata as histórias de outros tempos da cidade do Porto Porto com Histórias História do Vinho do Porto http://porto-com-historias.blogspot.pt/2014/12/historia-do-vinho-do-porto.html João Pires

The D Luis Bridge was built over River Douro to replace the Suspension Bridge, being the Belgian company Societé de Willebroeck in charge of this work, with a project by the engineer Teofilo Seyrig. The D Luis Bridge It was inaugurated in 1886 and classified as National Monument in 1982. It has one of the World's largest arcs in wrought iron and two decks. Nowadays the upper deck is crossed by one of Porto's underground (tube) lines, and the lower deck, with 6850in long, can be one of the passages to get to Vila Nova de Gaia, whether by car or on foot. Also See: Porto - suggested itineraries (EN) http://photoblog-favoritus.blogspot.pt/2014/12/porto-suggested-itineraries.html João Pires