Between the river Douro and the Atlantic Ocean, at the ending hilly area of the largest basin of the Iberian Peninsula, the city of Porto stands like a strong, serious and austere granite monument, yet powerful, exciting and overwhelming.
After a remote past, prior to the important Roman
presence with few remnants left over, the city, like many others in
Western Europe, is reborn in the early Middle Ages. Lewis Mumford once
wrote:”cities are like trees: once established they must be destroyed to
the roots before they cease to live: otherwise, even when the main stem
is cut down, shoots will form about the base”. This is the case of the
city of Porto, which was reborn from the top of Penaventosa hill during
the Middle Ages, sustained by both national and international trade held
in the small town markets, in the big fair at Rua Nova and river and sea
links.
Photo:©JRP
As the old medieval
walls of the fourteenth century became too small, the city started to
expand towards the sea and assumed importance in the overall structure
of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries Portuguese discoveries by
exporting food, flavours and knowledge, getting in return techniques,
cultures and novelties disseminated in the city through literature,
education and in the construction of the Renaissance city, such as Rua
das Flores, inspired by the Florentine taste.
From the eighteenth
century onwards, the city of Porto becomes the second home to many
foreigners coming from the Netherlands, Hamburg, Italy, but especially
from England, who would form a strong and large community with their own
customs and traditions, influencing the city power, its economic growth
and even its physical and social aspects. It is the time of sweet wine,
known as Port, produced in the Upper Douro and stored in Gaia, the twin
city across the river. With this wine strength, the city grows further,
both in area and in population. To organise and reach the same level of
the best European urbes, the Marquis of Pombal – a sort of super prime
minister of King Joseph I – makes his cousin João de Almada e Melo
Governor of the city, who opens it through radial routes departing from
the gates of the old city.
Photo:©JRP
After a
turbulent thirty-year start of the nineteenth century due to the French
invasions and many epidemic diseases, the city overcomes a two-year
siege, facing Prince Miguel’s absolutist supporters. But liberal king
Pedro IV is the winner and till the end of the nineteenth century the
city of Porto concentrates innovation and, in a certain way, the power
in the country. Cinema, the first American rails and later the tram
appear in Portugal at this time. Great infrastructure projects,
landmarks of the iron architecture in the world, such as the bridges
Dona Maria I and Luís I, are also built. But Porto is also a major hub
of people and goods, important for the Portuguese trade, especially with
Brazil, already independent. Besides that, it is mainly a receptacle for
people and goods coming from the northwestern Portugal and Douro and a
decisive trade-post in the connection with Northern Europe. So many
influences and cross cultures were to produce a city of many shades and
multiple identities, from the British accent, the sweet Brazilian
singing to the chants of Douro.
But
Porto is also recognized and looms before our eyes through the remaining
parts of the fourteenth century wall, the regular and symmetrical
façades of the eighteenth century, and the english-style chalets of the
western area or the manor houses covered by tiles of the eastern part of
the city. It is a complex unit, a unique unit – though it may seem
redundant – that merges in the filigree mast of the baroque Clérigos
tower.
Although Porto’s physical boundaries are still not accurately defined,
they were administratively stated as ending in Circunvalação in 1895;
however, the city is today far more a metropolis which stretches far
beyond the outer ring, with about one and a half million inhabitants,
who live and feel Porto - World Heritage since 1996 - as their own city.
JRP
