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80-624: The municipality covers an area of approximately 62.42 square kilometres (24.10 sq mi) and in 2011, it hosted a population 172,557 people. It is bordered by the municipalities of Porto to the south, Maia to the east and Vila do Conde to the north and the Atlantic Ocean lies to its west. It is a part of the Porto metropolitan area, the second largest urban area in Portugal. The city of Matosinhos had 45,703 inhabitants in 2001 and

160-565: A border settlement. Vímara Peres , a Galician count from Gallaecia , and a vassal of the King of Asturias , Léon and Galicia , Alfonso III , was given the fief of Portucale, and the surrounding areas. This included the area from the Minho to the Douro River : the settlement of Portus Cale and the area that is known as Vila Nova de Gaia . Portus Cale, later referred to as Portucale ,

240-635: A bridge over the Leça river. The navigability of the estuary of the Leça River permitted goods from the Roman Empire to be discharged in the area of Castro of Monte Castelo and distributed to other sites within the region. Around the 4th and 5th centuries, a Roman villa and salt production structures were built in Angeiras (Lavra), in the north of the municipality. Between the 5th and 7th centuries,

320-466: A city. In 2005, the municipality funded a public sculpture to be built in the Waterfront Plaza of Matosinhos. The resulting sculpture is entitled She Changes by American artist, Janet Echelman , and spans the height of 50x150x150 meters. Administratively, the municipality is divided into 4 civil parishes ( freguesias ): Matosinhos is twinned with: Since 1994, Matosinhos has had

400-463: A cooperation agreement with Luanda , Angola. The international Leixões Cruise Terminal and a large oil refinery of Galp Energia , are located in Leça da Palmeira , Matosinhos. EFACEC , a leading Portuguese company in the electromechanics industry, is headquartered in the city. Pedro Hispano Hospital (after Pedro Hispano ), is one of the most comprehensive state-run hospitals of Portugal , and serves

480-562: A garrison or served a military purpose, instead being repurposed for civil functions. In 1832, during the Liberal Wars an army under the command of D. Pedro disembarked in the beach in Arnosa do Pampelido, starting a military offensive in continental Portugal that would depose the conservative traditionalists in favor of the liberal constitutionalists. In 1862, an obelisk made of granite was inaugurated celebrating this victory, including

560-512: A long-standing military alliance between Portugal and England . The Portuguese-English alliance (see the Treaty of Windsor ) is the world's oldest recorded military alliance. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Porto's shipyards contributed to the development of Portuguese shipbuilding. Also from the port of Porto, in 1415, Prince Henry the Navigator (son of John I of Portugal ) embarked on

640-490: A neighbours council ( concelho ), with its own municipal autonomy. As a result, the population would become directly and exclusively under the dominion and jurisdiction of the crown, excluding the Lord from the power hierarchy. The Foral granted public lands to the collective use of the community, regulated taxes, tolls and fines and established protection rights and military duties within royal service. A pillory ( pelourinho )

720-442: A speech attributed to the king believed to have said prior to disembarking. In 1833, during the administrative reforms, the municipality of Bouças was created, encompassing the localities of Bouças, Guifões, Leça da Palmeira , Nevogilde , Ramalde and Lordelo do Ouro . In 1836, it was expanded to include the localities of Aldoar, Custoias , Infesta , Leça do Balio, Santa Cruz do Bispo, Lavra, Perafita and Paranhos (until 1837),

800-508: A study concerning competitiveness of the 18 Portuguese district capitals, Porto was the worst-ranked. The study was made by Minho University economics researchers and was published in Público newspaper on 30 September 2006. The best-ranked cities in the study were Évora , Lisbon, and Coimbra . Nevertheless, the validity of this study was questioned by some Porto notable figures (such as local politicians and businesspersons) who argued that

880-508: A time when the parishes of Ramalde , Foz and Aldoar were part of the territory of Matosinhos. During the 16th century, the church of Matosinhos was built and the image of Bom Jesus ( Good Jesus ) was transferred there from the Monastery of Bouças. As people from Matosinhos emigrate to Brazil during the Age of Discoveries, the cult to the image grows abroad, culminating with the founding of

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960-545: Is a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the River Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Built in 1886, its 172 metres (564 ft) span was then the longest of its type in the world. The top-level is used for the Porto Metro trains, with an option for pedestrians; the lower level carries traffic and pedestrians. During the 20th century, major bridges were built: Arrábida Bridge , which at its opening had

1040-505: Is also a National Monument of Portugal. The western part of its urban area extends to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. Its settlement dates back to the 2nd century BC when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire . Its combined Celtic - Latin name, Portus Cale , has been referred to as the origin of the name Portugal , based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin. Port wine , one of Portugal's most famous exports,

1120-614: Is augmented by the Via de Cintura Interna or A20, an internal highway connected to several motorways and city exits, complementing the Circunvalação 4-lane peripheric road, which borders the north of the city and connects the eastern side of the city to the Atlantic shore. The city is connected to Valença ( Viana do Castelo ) by highway A28, to Estarreja ( Aveiro ) by the A29, to Lisbon by

1200-419: Is connected to central Porto by metro’s line E. Porto's main railway station is Campanhã railway station , located in the eastern part of the city and connected to the lines of Douro (Peso da Régua/Tua/Pocinho), Minho (Barcelos/Viana do Castelo/Valença) and centre of Portugal (on the main line to Aveiro , Coimbra and Lisbon ). From Campanhã station, both light rail and suburban rail services connect to

1280-581: Is generated by tourism. The hotel occupancy rate in 2017 was 77%. A scholarly study published in June 2019 stated that "Porto is one of the fastest-growing European tourist destinations that has experienced exponential growth in the demand for city-break tourists". The most popular tourist attractions in the city include the Porto Cathedral, Dom Luís I Bridge, Café Majestic , Livraria Lello and Jardins do Palácio de Cristal. The road system capacity

1360-680: Is headquartered outside of the Lisbon area. Breaking down the population further shows that there is a higher percentage of women than men. Estimates from 2016 show that the population is 55% female, compared to 45% male. The largest age group, according to 2016 estimates, is 60 to 69, followed by residents in the 50 to 59 demographic. The majority 93.7% of residents were born in Portugal . The city also has residents that were born in Angola , Brazil, Cape Verde , and countries across Europe. Religion in

1440-619: Is named after Porto, since the metropolitan area, and in particular the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia , were responsible for the packaging, transport, and export of fortified wine . Porto is on the Portuguese Way path of the Camino de Santiago . In 2014 and 2017, Porto was elected The Best European Destination by the Best European Destinations Agency. Proto-Celtic and Celtic people were among

1520-580: Is north of the city in Matosinhos . Porto is served by Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport which is located in Pedras Rubras, Moreira da Maia civil parish of the neighbouring Municipality of Maia , some 15 kilometres (9 miles) to the north-west of the city centre. The airport underwent a massive programme of refurbishment due to the Euro 2004 football championships being partly hosted in the city. It

1600-517: Is served by the Porto Metro , a light rail system with frequent services. Line A provides services between the city centers of Matosinhos and Porto, via Senhora da Hora. Lines B, C and E also service areas of the municipality between Senhora da Hora and Vila do Conde, Maia and the airport respectively. A bus network exists across the municipality provided by various operators. In 2024, a united network of bus services across Porto's metropolitan area

1680-645: Is the second largest city in Portugal , after Lisbon . It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula 's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto , is small compared to its metropolitan area, with an estimated population of just 248,769 people in a municipality with only 41.42 km (16 sq mi). Porto's metropolitan area has around 1.8 million people (2023) in an area of 2,395 km (925 sq mi), making it

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1760-612: Is the seat of the municipality. It is located on the southern shore of the mouth of the Leça River , only 8 km away from Porto's city center. There are two other cities within the municipality, São Mamede de Infesta and Senhora da Hora, both located east of Matosinhos and just north of Porto municipality. The oldest traces of human settlement in this territory extend back thousands of years and include instruments and Paleolithic artifacts found in beaches such as Boa Nova and Almeiriga. The land's settlement began around 5000 years ago, during

1840-510: The 31 January 1891 revolt in Porto, the first uprising against the Portuguese monarchy. This resulted ultimately in the overthrow of the monarchy and proclamation of the republic by the 5 October 1910 revolution . On 19 January 1919, forces favorable to the restoration of the monarchy launched a counter-revolution in Porto known as Monarchy of the North . During this time, Porto was

1920-654: The Avenida dos Aliados , the tile-adorned São Bento railway station and the gardens of the Crystal Palace ( Palácio de Cristal ). A guided visit to the Palácio da Bolsa , and in particular, the Arab Room is a major tourist attraction . Many of the city's oldest houses are at risk of collapsing. The population in Porto municipality dropped by nearly 100,000 since the 1980s, but the number of permanent residents in

2000-562: The Confraria do São Salvador de Bouças during the 17th century. Supported by the growing worship and the gold mined in Brazil, the church was remodeled in the 18th century by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni . The architect had worked in other projects in the municipality, such as the estates of Chantre (Leça do Balio) and Bispo (Santa Cruz do Bispo), as well as the Chapel of São Francisco (in

2080-631: The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto , most notably, in the core municipalities of Maia , Matosinhos , Porto, and Vila Nova de Gaia . The city's former stock exchange ( Bolsa do Porto ) was transformed into the largest derivatives exchange of Portugal, and merged with Lisbon Stock Exchange to create the Bolsa de Valores de Lisboa e Porto , which eventually merged with Euronext , together with Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris stock and futures exchanges . The building formerly hosting

2160-477: The Liberal Wars ) was then fought from 1828 to 1834 between those supporting Constitutionalism, and those opposed to this change, keen on near-absolutism and led by D. Miguel. Porto rebelled again and had to undergo a siege of eighteen months between 1832 and 1833 by the absolutist army. Porto is also called "Cidade Invicta" (English: Unvanquished City) after successfully resisting the Miguelist siege. After

2240-605: The Napoleonic troops in Portugal under Marshal Soult brought war to the city of Porto. On 29 March 1809, as the population fled from the advancing French troops and tried to cross the river Douro over the Ponte das Barcas (a pontoon bridge), the bridge collapsed under the weight . (This event is still remembered by a plate at the Ponte D. Luis I . The French Army was rooted out of Porto by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , when his Anglo-Portuguese Army crossed

2320-580: The Porto airport is located partly in Matosinhos municipality, while the Port of Leixões regularly receives cruise ships in its cruise terminal . Matosinhos municipality is home to Portuguese top flight club Leixões Sport Club as well as Leça Futebol Clube and other minor clubs that include: Porto Porto ( Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpoɾtu] ), also known as Oporto ,

2400-568: The Ryanair hub at Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport. Porto won the European Best Destination 2012, 2014 and 2017 awards. The city received 2.8 million overnight visitors and 1.4 million day trippers between January and November 2017, with 73% from other countries. Tourism revenue has been increasing by over 11%, according to a 2018 report. According to a February 2019 report, over 10% of economic activity in Porto

2480-492: The Sovereign Military Order of Malta ), where they establish their first presence in Portugal. In 1140, Afonso I, king of Portugal attributes jurisdiction to the order of Malta jurisdiction over the parishes of Leça, Custóias, Barreiros, Gueifães and S. Mamede. The Order of Malta also maintained several other properties, that included monasteries of Lavra, Moreira and Aldoar. By the end of the 14th century,

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2560-728: The conquest of the Moorish port of Ceuta , in northern Morocco . This expedition by the king and his fleet, which included Prince Henry, was followed by navigation and exploration along the western coast of Africa, initiating the Portuguese Age of Discovery . The nickname that the people of Porto are known by began in those days; Portuenses are to this day, colloquially, referred to as tripeiros ( tripe peoples ), referring to this period of history, when higher-quality cuts of meat were shipped from Porto with their sailors, while off-cuts and by-products, such as tripe , were left behind for

2640-461: The 12th and the 16th centuries. The Foral was the basis for municipal foundation, thus the most important event of a city or town's history. It was critical to a successful land settling and an increase in crop yields, by giving more freedom and dignity, via a concession , to farmers, in an age when people were subject to near slave work, as servants of landlords . The Foral made a concelho free from feudal control, transferring power down to

2720-698: The A1, to Bragança by the A4 and to Braga by the A3. There is also an outer-ring road, the A41, that connects all the main cities around Porto, linking the city to other major metropolitan highways such as the A7, A11, A42, A43 and A44. Since 2011, a new highway, the A32, connects the metropolitan area to São João da Madeira and Oliveira de Azeméis . The Dom Luís I Bridge (Ponte de Dom Luís I)

2800-756: The Campo Alegre area, nearby the Faculty of Humanities and the Arts, and another one in the area known as the Massarelos valley. Porto is often referred to as Cidade das Pontes (City of the Bridges), besides its more traditional nicknames of "Cidade Invicta" (Unconquered/ Invincible City) and "Capital do Norte" (Capital of the North). In July 2015 a new cruise terminal was opened at the port of Leixões, which

2880-771: The Douro River from the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar (a former convent) in a brilliant daylight coup de main , using wine barges to transport the troops, outflanking the French Army. Influenced by liberal revolutions occurring in Europe, the Liberal Revolution of 1820 started in Porto. The revolutionaries demanded the return of John VI of Portugal , who had transferred the Portuguese Court to

2960-645: The Neolithic, as evidenced from various funeral monuments and dolmens in Lavra, Perafita, Leça do Balio, Santa Cruz do Bispo, Guifões and São Gens. At the end of the Bronze Age , settlements expanded into castros , proto-urban agglomerations at high altitudes. These existed in the northwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula and predominated until the 1st century. Remnants of castros remain throughout

3040-488: The Portuguese colony of Brazil since the French invasions of Portugal, it also demanded a constitutional monarchy to be set up in Portugal. In 1822, a liberal constitution was accepted, partly through the efforts of the liberal assembly of Porto (Junta do Porto). When Miguel I of Portugal took the Portuguese throne in 1828, he rejected this constitution and reigned as an anti-liberal, absolutist monarch. A civil war (known as

3120-518: The Quinta do Conceição). In 1638, a decision was taken by the count of Penaguião, D. João Sá e Menezes, to build the Fort of Leça da Palmeira . The fort would be located in the northern shore of the Leça river estuary and it would improve coastal defenses near Porto. The fort would receive its first garrison in 1646, but it wasn't until 1720 that construction was completed. By 1844, the fort no longer hosted

3200-502: The abdication of King Miguel , the liberal constitution was re-established. Known as the city of bridges, Porto built its first permanent bridge, the aforementioned Ponte das Barcas (a pontoon bridge ), in 1806. Three years later, it collapsed under the weight of thousands of fugitives from the French invasions during the Peninsular War , causing thousands of deaths. It was replaced by the Ponte D. Maria II , popularised under

3280-468: The architectural highlights of the city, Porto Cathedral is the oldest surviving structure, together with the small romanesque Church of Cedofeita , the gothic Igreja de São Francisco (Church of Saint Francis ), the remnants of the city walls and a few 15th-century houses. The baroque style is well represented in the city in the elaborate gilt work interior decoration of the churches of St. Francis ( São Francisco ) and St. Claire ( Santa Clara ),

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3360-639: The area became a part of the Kingdom of the Suebi and later the Visigothic Kingdom . During this period, Castro of Monte Castelo was abandoned, while the previous Roman settlement in Angeiras remained populated and included a monastery, as referred in the administrative document P arochiale suevorum . During the 10th century, the Monastery of Bouças was founded in Bouças de Baixo, in the northeast of

3440-461: The biggest concrete supporting arch in the world, and connects the north and south shores of the Douro on the west side of the city, S. João , to replace D. Maria Pia and Freixo , a highway bridge on the east side of the city. The newest bridge is Infante Dom Henrique Bridge , finished in 2003. Two more bridges are said to be under designing stages and due to be built in the next 10 years, one on

3520-556: The buildings of this firm. The revolt became known as the Revolta dos Borrachos (revolt of the drunkards). Between 1732 and 1763, Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni designed a baroque church with a tower that became its architectural and visual icon: the Torre dos Clérigos (English: Clerics' Tower). During the 18th and 19th centuries, the city became an important industrial center and its size and population increased. The invasion of

3600-426: The capital of the restored kingdom, as the movement was contained to the north. The monarchy was deposed less than a month later and no other monarchist revolution in Portugal happened again. The historic center of Porto was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. The World Heritage Site is defined in two concentric zones; the "Protected area", and within it the "Classified area". The Classified area comprises

3680-716: The churches of Mercy ( Misericórdia ) and of the Clerics ( Clérigos ), the Episcopal Palace of Porto , and others. The neoclassicism and romanticism of the 19th and 20th centuries also added interesting monuments to the landscape of the city, like the magnificent Stock Exchange Palace ( Palácio da Bolsa ), the Hospital of Saint Anthony , the Municipality, the buildings in the Liberdade Square and

3760-469: The citizens of Porto; tripe remains a culturally important dish in modern-day Porto. By the 13th century, the wine produced in the Douro valley was already being transported to Porto in barcos rabelos (flat sailing vessels). In 1703, the Methuen Treaty established trade relations and a military alliance between Portugal and England. In 1717, the first English trading post was established in Porto. The production of port wine then gradually passed into

3840-455: The city center. The main central station is São Bento Station , which is itself a notable landmark in the heart of Porto. This station was built between 1900 and 1916, based on plans by architect José Marques da Silva. The large panels of azulejo tile were designed by Jorge Colaço; the murals represent moments in the country's history and rural scenes showing the people of various regions. Foral The Carta de Foral , or simply Foral ,

3920-406: The city of Porto and the Upper Douro River have been documented since the Middle Ages . However, they were greatly deepened in the modern age. Indeed, sumach , dry fruits and nuts and the Douro olive oils sustained prosperous exchanges between the region and Porto. From the riverside quays at the river mouth, these products were exported to other markets of the Old and New World . However,

4000-467: The city proper does not function independently but in conurbation with other municipalities. A 2007 ranking published in Expresso ranked Porto as the third best city to live in Portugal – tied with Évora and below Guimarães and Lisbon . The Porto metropolitan area had a GDP amounting to $ 42.1 billion euros and $ 24,344 per capita in 2021. Over the last few years, Porto has experienced significant tourism increases, which may be partly linked to

4080-441: The development of a local fish canning industry. Production and exports of canned fish in Matosinhos rose during the world wars and peaked between 1940 and 1960, when there were a total of 54 factories. Between 1970 and 1989, the industry started declining and several factories closed down. The Port of Leixões and the fishing industry contributed to economic development and a growth in resident population and in 1984 Matosinhos became

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4160-448: The entire Porto Metropolitan Area . In 2020, Galp Energia announced that the oil refinery would cease functions starting in 2021, deciding to focus all operations in the oil refinery in Sines instead. Fishing and the fish canning industry remain present in Matosinhos, although only 3 canning factories remain: Conservas Portugal Norte, Lda.; Fábrica de Conservas Pinhais & C.A; Fábrica de Conservas Ramirez & Cª. The municipality

4240-426: The first known inhabitants of the area. Ruins of that period have been discovered in several areas. Archaeological findings reveal that there were also human settlements at the mouth of the Douro River as early as the 8th century BC, which hints at a Phoenician trading settlement there. During the period of Roman Empire in the Iberian Peninsula , the city developed as an important commercial port, primarily in

4320-471: The first official records referring to Matusiny dates from 1258, the result of Inquiries of Afonso III . At that time Matosinhos was a humble location, part of the parish of Sandim. Also during the 10th century, the Monastery of Leça do Balio was established near Ponte da Pedra. In the 12th century, likely between 1112 and 1128, Theresa, countess of Portugal donates the monastery to the Ordem Militar dos Cavaleiros Hospitalários (the Portuguese version of

4400-477: The focus of what has been called the Reconquista , and later became the independent Kingdom of Portugal , after eventually expanding to its current frontiers into the south as it conquered territory inhabited by the Muslim Moors for centuries, under the reign of King Afonso I of Portugal at the beginning of the 12th century. In 1387, Porto was the site of the marriage of John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster , daughter of John of Gaunt ; this symbolized

4480-420: The greatest lever to interregional trade relations resulted from the commercial dynamics of the Port wine ( Vinho do Porto ) agro-industry. It decidedly bolstered the complementary relationship between the large coastal urban centre, endowed with open doors to the sea, and a region with significant agricultural potential, especially in terms of the production of extremely high quality fortified wines , known by

4560-508: The hands of a few English firms. To counter this dominance, Prime Minister Marquis of Pombal established a monopolistic Portuguese firm to receive all the wines from the Douro valley. He demarcated the region for the production of port, to ensure the wine's quality; this was the first attempt to control wine quality and production in Europe, which was almost a century ahead of a similar exercise in Bordeaux. The small winegrowers revolted against his strict policies on Shrove Tuesday , burning down

4640-411: The line should reopen for passenger services between Contumil and Leça do Balio, with stops in São Gemil, Arroteia, Hospital S. João and S. Mamede de Infesta. This should allow for direct services to Campanhã in Porto and to Ovar in the district of Aveiro . An extension of the service is being considered until the Port of Leixões, by the terminus of the Porto Metro's line A. For international travel,

4720-467: The localities of Nevogilde, Ramalde and Aldoar were transferred to Porto, upon the opening of circunvalação, a ring road around Porto that would define its city limits. In 1909, the municipality changed its name to Matosinhos, since locality of Bouças had lost its significance. At the end of the 19th century, the Port of Leixões was constructed to provide a sheltered port to service the city of Porto, which supported Matosinhos's fishing industry and led to

4800-451: The majority of which had been a part of the old Couto de Leça, while Lordelo do Ouro was ceded to Porto municipality. As the seat of the municipality with 500 households, Bouças was elevated into a town in the locality of Senhora da Hora. In 1853, the seat was moved to the newly established town of Matosinhos, encompassing the civil parishes of Matosinhos and Leça da Palmeira. In 1985, the municipality underwent its last territorial changes, when

4880-430: The medieval borough located inside the 14th-century Romanesque wall. In 2001, Porto, alongside Rotterdam , was the European Capital of Culture for the whole year. For this event, several urban projects, from urban requalification to new infrastructures and public transportation, were put into practice. Situated at 280Km from Lisbon, in 1996, UNESCO recognized Porto's historic centre as a World Heritage Site . Among

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4960-415: The modern city of Matosinhos. It housed the image of Bom Jesus (Good Jesus) of Bouças (nowadays of Matosinhos), an important religious item locally. A settlement gradually grew around the monastery, leading to the creation of the administrative centre of the Julgado de Bouças in the 13th century. When Portugal was established in the 12th century, a settlement called Vila de Matesinum already existed. One of

5040-635: The municipality of Porto (Census 2021) Porto plus the conurbation to which it belongs and has Porto municipality as its central core forming the nucleus of the conurbation, is a major industrial and financial center of both Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula. As the most important city in the heavily industrialized northwest, many of the largest Portuguese corporations from diverse economic sectors , like Altri , Ambar , Amorim , Bial , BPI , Cerealis , CIN , Cofina , EFACEC , Frulact , Lactogal , Millennium bcp , Porto Editora , RAR , Sonae , Sonae Indústria , and Super Bock Group , are headquartered in

5120-402: The municipality, the most notable being Castro of Monte Castelo in Guifões, by the estuary of the Leça river. After the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the 1st century BC, the territory's was developed to support communication and commerce. New roads and bridges were built, including a road between the roman cities of Cale (Porto) and Bracara Augusta ( Braga ) and Ponte da Pedra,

5200-417: The name Ponte Pênsil ( suspended bridge ) and built between 1841 and 1843; only its supporting pylons have remained. The Ponte D. Maria , a railway bridge, was inaugurated on 4 November of 1877; it was considered a feat of wrought iron engineering and was designed by Gustave Eiffel , notable for his Parisian tower . The later Ponte Dom Luís I replaced the aforementioned Ponte Pênsil. This last bridge

5280-399: The newspaper) was at a time one of the tallest in the city (it has been superseded by a number of modern buildings which have been built since the 1990s). Porto Editora , one of the biggest Portuguese publishers, is also located in Porto. Its dictionaries are among the most popular references used in the country, and the translations are very popular as well. The economic relations between

5360-433: The outskirts and satellite towns has grown strongly. Administratively, the municipality is divided into 7 civil parishes ( freguesias ): Porto features a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csb ), with influences of an oceanic climate ( Cfb ), common in the north of the Iberian Peninsula . As a result, its climate shares many characteristics with the warm, dry Mediterranean climates of southern Europe and

5440-443: The second-largest urban area in Portugal. It is recognized as a global city with a Gamma + rating from the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centers and its core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, as the "Historic Centre of Porto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar". The historic area

5520-502: The small community of Franciscan friars installed themselves along the beach of Boa Nova, founding the Oratory of São Clement das Penhas. This small convent would give rise to the Convent of Conceição de Leça, which was founded in the 15th century, where the municipal park of Quinta da Conceição exists nowadays. In 1514, Matosinhos received a foral ( charter ) from King Manuel I , asserting it as an important agricultural center. Matosinhos becomes an important supplier of goods to Porto, at

5600-414: The stock exchange is currently one of the city's touristic attractions, with the Salão Árabe (Arab Room in English) being its major highlight. The Banco Português de Fomento (BPF), a Portuguese state-owned development bank established in 2020, is headquartered in Porto. Porto hosts a popular Portuguese newspaper, Jornal de Notícias . The building where its offices are located (which has the same name as

5680-505: The trade between Olissipona (the modern Lisbon ) and Bracara Augusta (the modern Braga ). Porto was also important during the Suebian and Visigothic times, and a center for the expansion of Christianity during that period. Porto fell under Muslim control following the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula between 714 and 716. Porto, and several cities of Northwestern Portugal, such as Braga , Chaves and Lamego were reconquered by Alfonso I of Asturias in 741, and thus Porto became

5760-565: The urban areas. Summer average temperatures are a few degrees cooler than those expected in more continentally Mediterranean-influenced Portuguese cities because of the oceanic influence. Winter temperatures typically range between 6 °C (43 °F) early in the morning and 15 °C (59 °F) in the afternoon, but rarely drop below 0 °C (32 °F) at night. The weather is often rainy for long stretches, although prolonged sunny periods do occur. "Moyennes 1991/2020 Sagres" . Baseline climate means (1991–2020) from stations all over

5840-499: The wet marine west coast climates of the North Atlantic, providing it warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Cool and rainy days can, occasionally, interrupt the sunny weather. These occasional summer rainy periods may last a few days and are characterized by showers and cool temperatures around 20 °C (68 °F) in the afternoon. The annual precipitation is high and concentrated in the winter months, making Porto one of

5920-441: The wettest major cities of Europe. However, long periods with warmer temperatures and sunny days are frequent even during the rainiest months. Summers are typically sunny, with average temperatures between 16 and 26 °C (61 and 79 °F), but can rise to as high as 38 °C (100 °F) during occasional heat waves. During such heatwaves, the humidity remains quite low. Nearby beaches are often windy and usually cooler than

6000-450: The world . Météo Climat . Retrieved 7 May 2022 . "Extremes for Porto" . Météo Climat . Retrieved 7 May 2022 . Rui Moreira ( Independent ) is the current mayor of Porto, having taken office on 22 October 2013, following the 2013 local elections. He was reelected in 2017 and 2021. The Portuguese party Iniciativa Liberal (IL), founded and headquartered in Porto, is the only Portuguese party represented in parliament which

6080-550: The world-famous label Port . The development of Porto was also closely connected with the left margin of River Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia , where is located the amphitheater-shaped slope with the Port wine cellars. The city is very much the gateway to Portugal's northern region as well as the northern and western areas of Spain. Within a two-hour drive of Porto's airport, there are four Unesco World Heritage sites and popular Spanish tourist hotspots such as Santiago de Compostela. In

6160-399: Was a royal document in Portugal and its former empire , whose purpose was to establish a concelho (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and privileges. A newly founded town would also need the king's approval through a Foral , in order to be considered one. In this case, the town's administration and privileges would be defined in that document. Forais were granted between

6240-479: Was founded called UNIR (Portuguese for unite), in an attempt to improve service and public transportation use. STCP , the main bus provider in Porto municipality remains separate from this network and provides services between Matosinhos and Porto. A railway line exists connecting the Port of Leixões with Contumil in Porto, called Linha de leixões . This line has mainly been used to transport cargo, despite an attempt to run passenger services in 2011. In December 2024,

6320-427: Was made by Theophile Seyrig, a former partner of Eiffel. Seyrig won a governmental competition that took place in 1879. Building began in 1881 and the bridge was opened to the public on 31 October 1886. A higher-learning institution in nautical sciences (Aula de Náutica, 1762) and a stock exchange (Bolsa do Porto, 1834 – 1910 ) were established in the city, but were discontinued later. Unrest by Republicans led to

6400-498: Was the origin for the modern name of Portugal . In 868, Count Vímara Peres established the County of Portugal , or ( Portuguese : Condado de Portucale ), usually known as Condado Portucalense , after repopulating the region north of Douro. In 1093, Teresa of León , illegitimate daughter of the king Alfonso VI of Castile , married Henry of Burgundy , bringing the County of Portugal as dowry. This Condado Portucalense became

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