History of Porto
The history of Porto dates back to Roman times, although Celtic and pre-Celtic relics have been found in the heart of where Porto now lies. Before the foundation of Portugal, Porto was actually called Port of Gaia, with the surrounding countryside being called Condado Portucalense (Portuguese county). This was later to become the independent kingdom known as Portugal.
A growth of a city
In 1387, a marriage took place between João I and Philippa of Lancaster. They got married in the newly established city of Porto and this confirmed the military alliance between Portugal and England. After this union, the city began to thrive. People would travel for miles to see the place where this infamous marriage took place.
Throughout the next three centuries, Porto grew and began to develop its own unique character and infrastructure. Between 1732 and 1763, Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni designed a Baroque-style church with a tower that would soon become an attraction in its own right, the Torre dos Clérigos (Clerics Tower).
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Industrialisation
During the 18th and 19th centuries, industry boomed and the city became an important industrial centre. The population increased significantly, as did the actual size of the city. An enormous iron bridge, Dom Luis I and a railway bridge, Maria Pia, were constructed at the beginning of the 18th century, as was the central railway station, São Bento. A university followed in 1762, which was unique in being dedicated to nautical sciences, but not as surprising as a stock exchange which emerged in 1834.
The Unvanquished City
Due to the numbers of invasions that the city managed to defend itself from as well as resisting a military attack in the 19th century by Napoleon, Porto came to be known as the Unvanquished City, a name which is still used today.
Modern times
In recent years, Porto has become a thriving hub for tourism, with people travelling from across the world to spend their annual holiday here. There are many hotels, activities and attractions on offer, some of which date back to ancient times, while others are more modern creations.