Clérigos Church and Clérigos Tower

Church in Porto

Torre Dos Clérigos — CC BY-SA 2.0 / jfcfar

The Clérigos Church is a Baroque-style church located in the city of Porto, Portugal. Its most iconic feature is the 75-meter-tall bell tower, known as the Torre dos Clérigos, which can be seen from various locations in the city. The church was built by Italian architect and painter Nicolau Nasoni in the 18th century for the Clergy Brotherhood. Construction began in 1732 and was completed in 1750, with the bell tower and stairway being finished in 1763. The main façade of the church is heavily decorated with Baroque motifs, and the interior features an elliptical floor plan, a polychromed marble altarpiece, and a monumental tower at the back of the building. The tower, which stands at 75.6 meters high and can be climbed via 240 steps, has become a symbol of the city. Nasoni is also responsible for other notable buildings in Porto, such as the Misericórida Church, the Archbishop’s Palace and the lateral loggia of Porto Cathedral. He was buried in the crypt of the Clérigos Church, although the exact location of his grave is unknown. In 2015, the Clérigos Brotherhood announced that the Clérigos Tower and Church will be open to visitors during nighttime hours.

The Clérigos Church and Clérigos Tower appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Porto!

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