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From Gallaecia to the Euro-Region
Medieval bridge over the Cávado (Barcelos)
never happened. They are currently consolidated, and house an outdoors
archaeological museum that, among other pieces, includes the Cruz do Galo,
where the famous episode of the resurrected cock that created the characteristic
symbol of the city, and even of Portugal, is narrated. The pelourinho is located
between the church and the palace, of hexagonal shaft, and dates back to the
end of the 15th century. The last building of this space, and almost in front of
the collegiate church, is the house of the Pinheiros, equally Gothic and with its
façade framed with two towers. The ensemble is completed with the medieval
bridge on the Cávado river, built in 1320 and which allowed the entrance
to the walled enclosure, from which the Tower of the Porta Nova is currently
maintained, with its corresponding access.
These same defensive needs lead to the construction of the Fernandina wall in
Porto, called like that for being finished under the rule of king Fernando. The
former wall, from which a small section
next to the head of the cathedral still
remains, was not enough to protect a
growing population, something that
motivated the construction of the new
one, which covered a considerably
bigger area. Although a great part was
demolished in the 19th century, some
sections and towers are still maintained,
as well as one of the doors, the one of
Carvão in the riverbank. Also Gothic
is the former Casa da Câmara,
next to the cathedral and attached
to the old wall. From this building,
where representatives of the 24 trades
of the city used to meet, only the
foundations are maintained, on which a
contemporary construction was built as
an urban viewpoint.
Tower of the Porta Nova (Barcelos)
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