Praça da Ribeira (Ribeira Square)

Square in Porto

Porto, Praça Da Ribeira
CC BY-SA 2.0 / Marco Varisco

The Ribeira Square or Praça da Ribeira is a historical square in Porto, Portugal. It is included in the historical centre of the city, designated World Heritage by UNESCO.

In the mid-18th century, the city of Porto underwent urban improvements to increase the flow of goods and people between the Ribeira neighborhood and other areas of the city. Governor João de Almada e Melo opened a new street, São João Street, that connected the Ribeira Square to the upper town and promoted the reurbanization of the square itself. The project, executed between 1776 and 1782, is credited to John Whitehead, an English consul in Porto. The square was enclosed on its north, west, and east sides by buildings with arcades, while the south side of the square, facing the Douro River, was enclosed by the medieval walls of Porto, known as the Muralhas Fernandinas. These walls were torn down in 1821, opening the square to the river. The Ribeira Square and its surrounding area have been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1971.


The Praça da Ribeira (Ribeira Square) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Porto!

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Visiting Praça da Ribeira (Ribeira Square)

Hours:

24 hours


Price:

Free

Address: Praça da Ribeira, Porto, Portugal
Duration: 1 hours

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