Ribeira is located in the historic center of Porto, in Praça e Cais da Ribeira, parish of São Nicolau, close to the Douro River, city of Porto, northern Portugal.
Ribeira is one of the oldest places in the city of Porto, and is an area in front of the Douro River, today it is a place where several cafes, restaurants and bars gather and is therefore an area very popular with tourists.
In Ribeira, the Praça da Ribeira, also popularly known as the cube square, is worth mentioning, which is formed by Rua da Fonte Taurina (one of the oldest in the city), the Muro dos Bacalhoeiros, the Casa do Infante (where Infante D. Henrique is believed to have been born in 1394), and it was in this area of Porto that one of the city's most charismatic figures lived, the so-called “Duque da Ribeira” known for having saved several people from drowning.
In Ribeira, the Praça da Ribeira, also popularly known as the cube square, is worth mentioning, which is formed by Rua da Fonte Taurina (one of the oldest in the city), the Muro dos Bacalhoeiros, the Casa do Infante (where Infante D. Henrique is believed to have been born in 1394), and it was in this area of Porto that one of the city's most charismatic figures lived, the so-called “Duque da Ribeira” known for having saved several people from drowning.
The origin of Ribeira do Porto until the construction of the Fernandina wall
It is not known when the current Ribeira area began to be inhabited, but it is known that the original nucleus of Porto developed at the top of Pena Ventosa, the current Morro da Sé, but that a riverside cluster also soon developed near the confluence of the small Rio da Vila with the Douro River.
Archaeological remains document that during the period of Romanization, port facilities were created near the place where the Casa do Infante was later built, whose Roman mosaics date back to the 4th century and the upper area was already protected by the Cerca Velha.
In 1120 D. Teresa donated the Couto de Portucale to D. Hugo, bishop of Porto, but the imprecision of the limits of the couto to the west (Rio da Vila or Rio Frio) fueled numerous conflicts between the king and the bishop that were only resolved in 1406 when the city's lordship definitively passed from the church to the crown.
The 13th century represented a period of expansion in which Porto grew, including the foot of the Pena Ventosa escarpment close to the riverbank, and the development of houses, streets, stairs and alleys, including Rua da Lada.
On the right bank of the Rio da Vila, the town grew along the São Nicolau riverfront, along Rua da Reboleira and Rua dos Banhos, eventually reaching the "outskirts" of Miragaia.
Thus, two settlement centers emerged: one in the upper zone, on the Pena Ventosa hill around the Cathedral, and another in the lower zone, in Ribeira along the banks of the Douro, connected by an urban wall that became denser.
The oldest axis that connected the two clusters ran along Rua de D. Hugo, through Porta das Verdades (da Cerca Velha) and Escadas do Barredo, following the shortest route, but with a very steep slope.
Later, another axis with better accessibility was developed consisting of Rua do Mercadores, Rua da Bainharia and Rua da Escura connected to Porta de São Sebastião.
Throughout the 14th century in the city of Porto there was a great expansion of settlement along the riverbank of the Douro, giving importance to commercial and maritime activities.
The city felt the need for a larger space than that of the Cerca Velha, which only protected the Cathedral block, and that is why a new fence was built called “Muralha Fernandina” because, despite being started by D. Afonso IV, it was only completed during the reign of D. Fernando.
Archaeological remains document that during the period of Romanization, port facilities were created near the place where the Casa do Infante was later built, whose Roman mosaics date back to the 4th century and the upper area was already protected by the Cerca Velha.
In 1120 D. Teresa donated the Couto de Portucale to D. Hugo, bishop of Porto, but the imprecision of the limits of the couto to the west (Rio da Vila or Rio Frio) fueled numerous conflicts between the king and the bishop that were only resolved in 1406 when the city's lordship definitively passed from the church to the crown.
The 13th century represented a period of expansion in which Porto grew, including the foot of the Pena Ventosa escarpment close to the riverbank, and the development of houses, streets, stairs and alleys, including Rua da Lada.
On the right bank of the Rio da Vila, the town grew along the São Nicolau riverfront, along Rua da Reboleira and Rua dos Banhos, eventually reaching the "outskirts" of Miragaia.
Thus, two settlement centers emerged: one in the upper zone, on the Pena Ventosa hill around the Cathedral, and another in the lower zone, in Ribeira along the banks of the Douro, connected by an urban wall that became denser.
The oldest axis that connected the two clusters ran along Rua de D. Hugo, through Porta das Verdades (da Cerca Velha) and Escadas do Barredo, following the shortest route, but with a very steep slope.
Later, another axis with better accessibility was developed consisting of Rua do Mercadores, Rua da Bainharia and Rua da Escura connected to Porta de São Sebastião.
Throughout the 14th century in the city of Porto there was a great expansion of settlement along the riverbank of the Douro, giving importance to commercial and maritime activities.
The city felt the need for a larger space than that of the Cerca Velha, which only protected the Cathedral block, and that is why a new fence was built called “Muralha Fernandina” because, despite being started by D. Afonso IV, it was only completed during the reign of D. Fernando.
The reconstruction of Rua Nova on the initiative of D. João I and Rua do Mouzinho da Silveira (1872)
In the last decade of the 14th century, and on the initiative of D. João I, Rua Nova began to have a set of rectilinear lines (considered wide and large for the time), and was a prestigious location that attracted the construction of luxury buildings to house the bourgeois elite and clergy, and centralized the life and business of merchants.
Rua Nova (today Rua do Infante D. Henrique) took around a hundred years to complete, and as it connected Rua dos Mercadores to the Convento de São Francisco, it constituted an important circulation axis parallel to the riverbank.
From 1521, on the initiative of King D. João I, on Rua de Santa Catarina das Flores (currently Rua das Flores) the widening of the sidewalks began, facilitating access from Praça da Ribeira to Porta de Carros (of Muralhas Fernandinas) next to the Convento de São Bento da Avé-Maria, considered the northern exit of the city (a building demolished at the end of the 19th century, and the current São Bento Station was built in that place).
João de Almada e Melo (lord of Souto d''El-Rei) was the great developer of the urban expansion of the city of Porto in the 18th century, and was mainly responsible for organizing the space that we now call Baixa do Porto in Portugal.
Praça da Ribeira was redesigned seeking to give this space a monumental nature, creating a corridor to facilitate the flow of products and the movement of people, which went from Praça da Ribeira, through Rua de S. João, Largo de São Domingos, Rua das Flores and finally Rua do Almada. The British consul John Whitehead was one of the figures who collaborated in the remodeling of the square, proposing the construction of an arcade that would close the west and east sides of the space into a large unit.
To the north, the square would be open to the streets of São João and dos Mercadores, and on the south side a wide staircase would be built to access the upper part of the Fernandina Walls, creating a circulation area that simultaneously dominated the river and the interior of the square.
The renovation program also covered the Porta da Ribeira, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Ó and the works began in 1776, being partially completed in the mid-1780s.
The Almadino plan was only implemented on the north and west fronts: with the monumental Fountain on Rua de São João, to the south the wall ended up being torn down in 1821 and to the east, the medieval buildings survive to this day.
The second half of the 18th century was also the time for the construction of large buildings representing the English-influenced neoclassical architecture that continued into the 19th century.
The construction of large buildings such as in the Ribeira area: the Palácio da Bolsa, the Casa da Feitoria Inglesa, the Church of the Thirds of São Francisco and the open arches in the "Muro da Ribeira" to facilitate access to the river, and the arcade was inspired by the Adelphi galleries, former warehouses in the port area of London that ended up being demolished to make way for the Victoria Embankment.
Despite the transformations, the city remained facing the Douro, living according to the river with the economic and social center nearby, such as: Praça da Ribeira, Rua Nova dos Ingleses, Rua de São João and Largo de São Domingos.
The second half of the 19th century presented periods of great dynamism, Praça do Infante was enlarged and the Ferreira Borges Market was built (1885).
Throughout this century, the Ponte das Barcas was built, which was inaugurated in 1806, the Ponte Pênsil D. Maria II (1843) and the Ponte Luís I (1886) with the novelty of having a second deck at high elevation, and eliminating the mandatory passage through Ribeira for traffic coming from the south.
In the second half of the 1800s, an important reorganization of traffic routes took place, namely Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira (1872) as the new wider and straighter axis connecting Rua Nova dos Ingleses (Rua do Infante D. Henrique) to the Convent of São Bento da Avé-Maria.
Rua Nova (today Rua do Infante D. Henrique) took around a hundred years to complete, and as it connected Rua dos Mercadores to the Convento de São Francisco, it constituted an important circulation axis parallel to the riverbank.
From 1521, on the initiative of King D. João I, on Rua de Santa Catarina das Flores (currently Rua das Flores) the widening of the sidewalks began, facilitating access from Praça da Ribeira to Porta de Carros (of Muralhas Fernandinas) next to the Convento de São Bento da Avé-Maria, considered the northern exit of the city (a building demolished at the end of the 19th century, and the current São Bento Station was built in that place).
João de Almada e Melo (lord of Souto d''El-Rei) was the great developer of the urban expansion of the city of Porto in the 18th century, and was mainly responsible for organizing the space that we now call Baixa do Porto in Portugal.
Praça da Ribeira was redesigned seeking to give this space a monumental nature, creating a corridor to facilitate the flow of products and the movement of people, which went from Praça da Ribeira, through Rua de S. João, Largo de São Domingos, Rua das Flores and finally Rua do Almada. The British consul John Whitehead was one of the figures who collaborated in the remodeling of the square, proposing the construction of an arcade that would close the west and east sides of the space into a large unit.
To the north, the square would be open to the streets of São João and dos Mercadores, and on the south side a wide staircase would be built to access the upper part of the Fernandina Walls, creating a circulation area that simultaneously dominated the river and the interior of the square.
The renovation program also covered the Porta da Ribeira, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Ó and the works began in 1776, being partially completed in the mid-1780s.
The Almadino plan was only implemented on the north and west fronts: with the monumental Fountain on Rua de São João, to the south the wall ended up being torn down in 1821 and to the east, the medieval buildings survive to this day.
The second half of the 18th century was also the time for the construction of large buildings representing the English-influenced neoclassical architecture that continued into the 19th century.
The construction of large buildings such as in the Ribeira area: the Palácio da Bolsa, the Casa da Feitoria Inglesa, the Church of the Thirds of São Francisco and the open arches in the "Muro da Ribeira" to facilitate access to the river, and the arcade was inspired by the Adelphi galleries, former warehouses in the port area of London that ended up being demolished to make way for the Victoria Embankment.
Despite the transformations, the city remained facing the Douro, living according to the river with the economic and social center nearby, such as: Praça da Ribeira, Rua Nova dos Ingleses, Rua de São João and Largo de São Domingos.
The second half of the 19th century presented periods of great dynamism, Praça do Infante was enlarged and the Ferreira Borges Market was built (1885).
Throughout this century, the Ponte das Barcas was built, which was inaugurated in 1806, the Ponte Pênsil D. Maria II (1843) and the Ponte Luís I (1886) with the novelty of having a second deck at high elevation, and eliminating the mandatory passage through Ribeira for traffic coming from the south.
In the second half of the 1800s, an important reorganization of traffic routes took place, namely Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira (1872) as the new wider and straighter axis connecting Rua Nova dos Ingleses (Rua do Infante D. Henrique) to the Convent of São Bento da Avé-Maria.
From decadence to recovery of Porto’s historic Ribeira
During the 19th century, the profound changes in Porto life caused the progressive displacement of the center of the city's social, political and business life in the Ribeira and São Domingos area to Praça Nova and its surroundings, which began to acquire new importance.
The mercantile and financial bourgeoisie also seek to settle near new streets with better accessibility (Rua Nova da Alfândega, Rua de Ferreira Borges, Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira).
The move of rich families to larger and more pleasant locations led to an accelerated degradation of hygienic and health conditions in the Ribeira area, particularly in the neighborhoods of Lada and Barredo (occupied at the time by people coming from the countryside attracted by the emergence of industrialization).
The construction of an artificial port in Leixões (1895), which was expanded throughout the 20th century, also ended up definitively marginalizing the Ribeira area in Porto, leading to gradual decay and degradation.
From the mid-seventies onwards, an ambitious plan for the recovery and revitalization of Ribeira do Porto was put into practice by the Commissariat for Urban Renewal of the Ribeira/Barredo Area.
On the Pier it is possible to observe the existence of a door called Postigo do Carvão, of the 18 doors and shutters of the Fernandina Wall built in the 14th century, this is the only one that has remained to this day.
The Ribeira neighborhood is made up of a wide and long sidewalk parallel to the Douro River, small houses with colorful facades, narrow and winding streets overlooking Gaia, its urban-riverside architecture surrounded by typical restaurants, street artists, souvenir shops make this place one of the main tourist areas in the city.
In the Ribeira neighborhood you can find historical monuments such as the Palácio da Bolsa (visitors can see the interior full of history and halls, including the Arabic hall) the São Francisco church has a Gothic style of architecture inside covered with baroque gilded carvings, try traditional dishes, and enjoy the wines of the Douro River.
The mercantile and financial bourgeoisie also seek to settle near new streets with better accessibility (Rua Nova da Alfândega, Rua de Ferreira Borges, Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira).
The move of rich families to larger and more pleasant locations led to an accelerated degradation of hygienic and health conditions in the Ribeira area, particularly in the neighborhoods of Lada and Barredo (occupied at the time by people coming from the countryside attracted by the emergence of industrialization).
The construction of an artificial port in Leixões (1895), which was expanded throughout the 20th century, also ended up definitively marginalizing the Ribeira area in Porto, leading to gradual decay and degradation.
From the mid-seventies onwards, an ambitious plan for the recovery and revitalization of Ribeira do Porto was put into practice by the Commissariat for Urban Renewal of the Ribeira/Barredo Area.
On the Pier it is possible to observe the existence of a door called Postigo do Carvão, of the 18 doors and shutters of the Fernandina Wall built in the 14th century, this is the only one that has remained to this day.
The Ribeira neighborhood is made up of a wide and long sidewalk parallel to the Douro River, small houses with colorful facades, narrow and winding streets overlooking Gaia, its urban-riverside architecture surrounded by typical restaurants, street artists, souvenir shops make this place one of the main tourist areas in the city.
In the Ribeira neighborhood you can find historical monuments such as the Palácio da Bolsa (visitors can see the interior full of history and halls, including the Arabic hall) the São Francisco church has a Gothic style of architecture inside covered with baroque gilded carvings, try traditional dishes, and enjoy the wines of the Douro River.
Classification
Throughout the 14th century, the banks of the Douro River saw an increasing population due to commercial and maritime activities and in this context the Ribeira area emerged, which has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 and in addition to being the oldest part of Porto, it is currently one of the most frequented parts of the city by both young people, tourists and city residents.
Ribeira is one of the oldest and most typical places in the city of Porto, in Portugal, but it is also part of the Historic Center of Porto designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The activity developed by CRUARB was also decisive for the submission of the Historic Center of Porto's candidacy to UNESCO for classification as Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 1991.
As part of this revival of Ribeira, numerous bars and restaurants opened, making it a meeting point for nightlife.
On the occasion of Porto 2001 as European Capital of Culture, the pavement and urban furniture between Ponte D. Luís and Cais da Estiva were remodeled, according to an intervention designed by architect Manuel Fernandes de Sá.
Ribeira is today the picture postcard of Porto and one of the most visited areas of the city.
Ribeira is one of the oldest and most typical places in the city of Porto, in Portugal, but it is also part of the Historic Center of Porto designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The activity developed by CRUARB was also decisive for the submission of the Historic Center of Porto's candidacy to UNESCO for classification as Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 1991.
As part of this revival of Ribeira, numerous bars and restaurants opened, making it a meeting point for nightlife.
On the occasion of Porto 2001 as European Capital of Culture, the pavement and urban furniture between Ponte D. Luís and Cais da Estiva were remodeled, according to an intervention designed by architect Manuel Fernandes de Sá.
Ribeira is today the picture postcard of Porto and one of the most visited areas of the city.
The Luís I Bridge (on the banks of the Douro River)
The Luís I Bridge is on Pte. Luís I, the iconic metal bridge crossing the Douro River, connects Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, the city of Porto, northern Portugal.
The Dom Luís I Bridge or Ponte Luís I is a two-story metal arch bridge that crosses the Douro River between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal.
The Dom Luís I Bridge or Ponte Luís I is a two-story metal arch bridge that crosses the Douro River between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal.
The History of the Luís I Bridge
In 1879, Gustave Eiffel presented the project to build a new bridge over the Douro with a single elevated deck to facilitate navigation for ships.
This project was rejected due to dramatic urban population growth which required a rethinking of the limits of a single-deck platform.
In January 1881 they supported the Société de Willebroeck project that provided better carrying capacity.
On November 21, 1881, the public work was built by the Société de Willebroeck, the project was by the engineer Théophile Seyrig, disciple of Gustave Eiffel and author of the project, and the architect was Léopold Valentin.
Seyrig had worked on the D. Maria bridge with Eiffel and hence the similarity of his new bridge with the D. Maria bridge.
Construction began on the Luís I Bridge next to the towers of an old railway suspension bridge, the Suspension Bridge, which was dismantled.
On October 30th, the construction of the main arch, the upper deck and the lower deck completed the project, and during its ceremonies the bridge was blessed by Bishop D. Américo.
On January 1, 1944, the toll system was abolished and the bridge began to function as a free infrastructure for the Porto City Council.
The bridge carried road traffic on both decks, electric trams crossed the upper deck from 1908 until May 1959, and trolleybuses crossed both decks from May 1959 until 1993.
In 1954, public works began on the bridge under the direction of engineer Edgar Cardoso, who extended the decks and removed electrification from the deck.
This project was rejected due to dramatic urban population growth which required a rethinking of the limits of a single-deck platform.
In January 1881 they supported the Société de Willebroeck project that provided better carrying capacity.
On November 21, 1881, the public work was built by the Société de Willebroeck, the project was by the engineer Théophile Seyrig, disciple of Gustave Eiffel and author of the project, and the architect was Léopold Valentin.
Seyrig had worked on the D. Maria bridge with Eiffel and hence the similarity of his new bridge with the D. Maria bridge.
Construction began on the Luís I Bridge next to the towers of an old railway suspension bridge, the Suspension Bridge, which was dismantled.
On October 30th, the construction of the main arch, the upper deck and the lower deck completed the project, and during its ceremonies the bridge was blessed by Bishop D. Américo.
On January 1, 1944, the toll system was abolished and the bridge began to function as a free infrastructure for the Porto City Council.
The bridge carried road traffic on both decks, electric trams crossed the upper deck from 1908 until May 1959, and trolleybuses crossed both decks from May 1959 until 1993.
In 1954, public works began on the bridge under the direction of engineer Edgar Cardoso, who extended the decks and removed electrification from the deck.
The Construction of the Luís I Bridge
The bridge is located in an isolated urban area over the Douro River between the granite banks where the Porto Cathedral is located on the north side, and crossing the bridge we find the Serra do Pilar Monastery and Jardim do Morro.
The D. Luís I bridge was built in 1886 by Eiffel's disciple, Théophile Seyrig and the bridge consists of two floors and an impressive iron arch that connects the part of Porto with its neighbor Vila Nova de Gaia where the famous Port wine cellars are located.
The tram passes through the upper part of the bridge, while cars pass through the lower part and there are sidewalks for pedestrians on both floors.
On the upper floor you can see a beautiful panoramic view of the Douro River, and on the lower floor there is a quiet cafe with a terrace right on the riverbank where you can enjoy views such as the spectacular sunset.
The construction of the Dom Luís I Bridge consists of a span of 172 meters (564 feet), and was confused with the neighboring Ponte Maria Pia (a railway bridge built 9 years earlier) which resembles the Luís I bridge in appearance.
The iron bridge has two decks, of different heights and widths, between which develop a large diameter of 172.5 meters (566 feet), central arch that supports these upper and lower decks.
Both decks are tied to the banks of the river by means of masonry pillars, those on the upper floor are rectangular with a scalloped cornice finish consisting of two stepped registers separated by a cornice and interlocking beams.
The lower deck is based on large foundations supporting molded cornices and wedges joined by a depressed arch and framed by interlocking beams.
At the base of the arches facing the banks of the river are large marble plaques with the inscriptions "PONTE LUIZ I", and on the upstream side, stones representing the royal weapons with a shield framed by garlands.
At the base of the lower deck are pyramid-shaped truncated iron pillars erected in three sections that are fixed to the upper deck.
The bridge has an asphalt pavement for vehicle circulation, separated by cast iron guards that limit the pedestrian sidewalks that run laterally.
The central arch emerges from the bollards in the foundations and decreases in thickness toward the center.
The upper deck, also flanked by pedestrian walkways protected by cast iron guards (similar to the lower deck), was also paved with asphalt until it was converted for the transport of Porto Metro light trains in the mid-2000s.
Lamps used for lighting emerge from this deck, forming decorative circles at the angles, and under the umbrella is a cut-out lambrequin decorated with phytomorphic elements.
The D. Luís I bridge was built in 1886 by Eiffel's disciple, Théophile Seyrig and the bridge consists of two floors and an impressive iron arch that connects the part of Porto with its neighbor Vila Nova de Gaia where the famous Port wine cellars are located.
The tram passes through the upper part of the bridge, while cars pass through the lower part and there are sidewalks for pedestrians on both floors.
On the upper floor you can see a beautiful panoramic view of the Douro River, and on the lower floor there is a quiet cafe with a terrace right on the riverbank where you can enjoy views such as the spectacular sunset.
The construction of the Dom Luís I Bridge consists of a span of 172 meters (564 feet), and was confused with the neighboring Ponte Maria Pia (a railway bridge built 9 years earlier) which resembles the Luís I bridge in appearance.
The iron bridge has two decks, of different heights and widths, between which develop a large diameter of 172.5 meters (566 feet), central arch that supports these upper and lower decks.
Both decks are tied to the banks of the river by means of masonry pillars, those on the upper floor are rectangular with a scalloped cornice finish consisting of two stepped registers separated by a cornice and interlocking beams.
The lower deck is based on large foundations supporting molded cornices and wedges joined by a depressed arch and framed by interlocking beams.
At the base of the arches facing the banks of the river are large marble plaques with the inscriptions "PONTE LUIZ I", and on the upstream side, stones representing the royal weapons with a shield framed by garlands.
At the base of the lower deck are pyramid-shaped truncated iron pillars erected in three sections that are fixed to the upper deck.
The bridge has an asphalt pavement for vehicle circulation, separated by cast iron guards that limit the pedestrian sidewalks that run laterally.
The central arch emerges from the bollards in the foundations and decreases in thickness toward the center.
The upper deck, also flanked by pedestrian walkways protected by cast iron guards (similar to the lower deck), was also paved with asphalt until it was converted for the transport of Porto Metro light trains in the mid-2000s.
Lamps used for lighting emerge from this deck, forming decorative circles at the angles, and under the umbrella is a cut-out lambrequin decorated with phytomorphic elements.
The Classification of the Luís I Bridge
In 1982, the bridge was designated a cultural heritage Property of Public Interest (Property of Public Interest) by the National Agency IGESPAR, the Portuguese Institute of Management of Architectural and Archaeological Heritage.
