Porto Cathedral

Porto Cathedral is the cathedral of the city of Porto, built in the Romanesque style between the first half of the 12th century and the early 13th century on the hill of the Sé, the oldest part of the city. The building keeps the look of a fortress church, with a façade between two towers and a rose window, and was changed in the Mannerist and Baroque periods.

The cathedral is part of the Historic Centre of Oporto, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Porto Cathedral on the hill of the Sé, the oldest part of the city.

What to see at Porto Cathedral

Façade and rose window: the Romanesque front between two towers, with a rose window above the portal.
Gothic cloister: the cloister built in the reign of King João I, from the late 14th century, with 18th-century tile panels.
Chapel of João Gordo: a funerary chapel of about 1333 with the tomb of João Gordo, a knight of the Order of the Hospitallers who served King Dinis.
Chancel: the chancel of 1610, with a gilded carved altarpiece of the second quarter of the 18th century and wall paintings by Nicolau Nasoni.
Baroque galilee: the loggia that Nasoni added to the side façade in about 1736.
Nossa Senhora da Vandoma: the image of the patron saint of the city, in the transept.

History of Porto Cathedral

12th century: Dom Hugo, the first bishop of Porto, begins the cathedral.
13th century: the building reaches its present size.
About 1333: the chapel of João Gordo is built.
14 February 1387: King João I marries Filipa de Lencastre in the cathedral.
1610: a new chancel replaces the Romanesque one.
About 1736: Nicolau Nasoni adds the galilee to the side façade.
1910: the cathedral is classified as a National Monument.
1930s: the whole monument is restored.

Visiting Porto Cathedral

Location: the cathedral stands on the Terreiro da Sé, a square with a view over the Ribeira, the Douro and Vila Nova de Gaia.
Tickets: the church is open for worship, and the cloister is visited with a ticket. The diocese publishes current times and prices.