Torre Medieval, Porto

Porto’s medieval tower was not simply uncovered—it was moved. Torre Medieval is a reconstructed medieval tower-house in the city’s historic quarter. For centuries, it was hidden within the surrounding houses, beside the old butcher shops and opposite the main façade of Porto Cathedral.

In the nineteen forties, the demolition of those old blocks exposed the tower. The clearance was meant to give the cathedral greater dignity and improve sanitation in its surroundings. Its fortress-like medieval character persuaded planners to save it, though they shifted it roughly fifteen metres from its original position.

The reconstruction was directed by architect Rogério de Azevedo, who added the Gothic-style stone balcony on the building. Let your attention rest on that balcony and the tower’s compact outline: they bring together a medieval building and a twentieth-century remaking of the cathedral district. The tower housed the City History Office until 1960.

Today it serves as a Porto Tours tourist-information point, and it belongs to a classified heritage site. You may also encounter its older names, Torre da Rua de D. Pedro Pitões and Torre da Cidade.