Porto
Industrial city, important port, and capital of Porto district, northwest Portugal, 280 km/174 mi north of Lisbon, on the River Douro, 5 km/3 mi from its mouth on the Atlantic coast; population (2003 est) 264,200, urban agglomeration 1,213,400. Port wine (to which the city gives its name), cork, fruits, olive oil, and building materials are exported, and industries include textiles, leather, and pottery. Porto is built on terraces cut into the steep northern slopes of the Douro gorge. It is connected to the southern suburb of Vila Nova de Gaia by the two-storey bridge of Dom Luis I, built by Eiffel, and which crosses the river in a single span of 160 m/525 ft at a height of
36 m/118 ft.
History
The ancient settlement, probably of pre-Roman origin, was known as Cale and later Portus Cale. It was captured by the Moors in
AD 716 and retaken by the Christians in 1092; the town received its charter in 1115. It initially developed as a trading post with the Mediterranean area and was located on an important route linking Lisbon and Braga. The city itself was fortified by the Romans, and these walls were later reinforced in the 12th century. Maritime and commercial activities increased between the 13th and 15th centuries and a shipyard, one of the most important in Portugal, was established. Porto's outer, artificial harbour, constructed in 1890, helped spur the city's growth further.
| Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal and features include the Augustinian convent of Serra do Pilar, a 12th-century cathedral, the 19th-century Stock Exchange Palace, colleges of music and art, and a university (1911). The suburb of Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south bank of the Douro, is known for its port wine lodges. The city is on the UNESCO Heritage List, and major refurbishing has been carried out in the old city since the 1970s. |
Porto
| District of northwest Portugal, with a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean; area 2,282 sq km/881 sq mi; population (1991) 1,622,300; capital Porto. It exports wine and manufactures chemicals, electrical equipment, textiles, and soap. |
