Voyages inside Portugal

Valour over spirits: what Porto is really about

Posted on by Jules & Verne
Reading time 7 minutes

There are three well known facts about Porto. One, it’s home to Port, a fortified wine that goes well as an aperitif or paired with a dessert. Two, it sits next to the Douro valley, where some of the best Portuguese red wines are produced. Three, Portugal’s name derives from ‘Portus Cale’, Porto’s name during the Roman Empire. Alas, none of these three pieces of trivia tells much about the city or its inhabitants, which are neither particularly fixated on spirits nor on Roman toponymy of 2,200 years ago. There is however one story that perfectly epitomises Porto: the 1832 city siege. It’s a story of valour and hardship. A clash of the old and of the new. A mark in Portuguese history made of sweat, tears and blood.

 

A sketch of a constitutional soldier watching Porto’s skyline, which hasn’t changed much since then

The siege was a decisive chapter of a larger book we have peeked into before, when talking about the Queluz Palace: the 19th century civil war that pitted brother against brother. On one side, Dom Pedro, who wanted a constitutional monarchy for Portugal. On the other, his brother Dom Miguel, who wanted to keep the old absolutist monarchy.

 

Porto downtown (35mm, f2, 1/60s, ISO 4000)
Porto downtown (35mm, f2, 1/60s, ISO 5000)

The events that spurred this fratricidal conflict can also be traced back to Porto. In 1820, a liberal revolution that had sparked in the city quickly spread out to the entire country. Seen through today’s eyes, the demands of the revolutionaries look perhaps conflicting: on the one hand, they wanted a constitution for Portugal that would bring more power to the people; on the other hand, they clamoured for a less independent Brazil, which a mere five years ago had gone from being a colony to an equal part in the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.

 

Ribeira, Porto (35mm, f8, 1/450s, ISO 200)
Riverfront house, Foz, Porto (35mm, f11, 1/42s, ISO 200)

And indeed the two requirements would prove impossible to reconcile. King João VI, exiled in Brazil since the Napoleonic invasions of 1807, came back to Portugal to quench the revolution. He managed to restitute peace by conceding to a constitution, but there was nothing he could do to avoid Brazil claiming independence. He had left behind his son Dom Pedro to act as his regent. But Dom Pedro was a liberal at heart that had grown reading Voltaire and Edmund Burke, and was far more sympathetic to the pressures of the Brazilian that to those of the Portuguese.

 

Lisbon Square, seen from the top of the Clérigos Tower (35mm, f7.1, 1/400s, ISO 200)

King João VI died shortly after, in 1826. His eldest Dom Pedro was the natural successor to the throne, yet he chose to remain in Brazil and abdicated in favor of his daughter Dona Maria II.  As she was just seven, her uncle Dom Miguel would act as prince regent. Unlike his brother, Dom Miguel believed in the good old days of absolutism, so he took advantage of his position to usurp the throne, turn the constitution into a mere piece of paper and drive the liberals out of the country.

 

Clérigos Church (35mm, f2, 1/3000s, ISO 200)
Ocean background, seen from the top of the Clérigos Tower (35mm, f8, 1/420s, ISO 200)
Clérigos Street (35mm, f2, 1/8000s, ISO 200)

By 1832 the situation had become so severe that Dom Pedro conceded the Brazilian throne to his son Dom Pedro II and sailed back to Portugal. He stopped in Azores to assemble an army, composed by mercenaries and exiled liberals. Among those stood notables such as the writer Almeida Garrett, who called this “the moment the old Portugal ends and a new one starts”.

 

Halfway up Clérigos Tower (35mm, f2, 1/6000s, ISO 200)
An old telephone booth at downtown Porto (35mm, f2, 1/640s, ISO 200)

The army landed in a beach near Porto and quickly occupied the city, cheered on by its residents. Unsure of how many men Dom Pedro had managed to assemble, Dom Miguel’s absolutist force preferred to flee.

 

Ribeira, Porto (35mm, f2, 1/10500s, ISO 200)
Dom Luís I bridge, Porto (35mm, f9, 1/350s, ISO 200)

But the celebrations would be short-lived. The absolutists quickly regrouped and sieged the city with an army of 60,000 men that vastly outnumbered the 7,500 liberals. Dom Pedro, a savvy strategist both at the negotiation table and on the battlefield, knew he only had a chance of keeping the city if he held on to Serra do Pilar, an elevation on the south bank of the Douro river, next to where the Dom Luís bridge stands today. The losses were tremendous, but the absolutists were unable to take Serra do Pilar and use it to bomb the city below.

 

D. Luís I Bridge, Porto (35mm, f16, 1/800s, ISO 200)
A painting over ceramic tiles depicting the Ceuta battle, São Bento Train Station, Porto (35mm, f2, 1/125s, ISO 200)

Without a good vantage point, the absolutist army resorted instead to indiscriminate bombings and attacks, targeting both civilians and the military. Supplies were also dwindling and disease was spreading quickly, but Porto’s residents did not cower, choosing instead to fight back. Craftsmen and merchants,  professors and students, many chose to battle alongside the military.

 

Quay, Vila Nova de Gaia (35mm, f8, 1/400s, ISO 200)
Lisbon Square, Porto (f9, 1/350s, ISO 200)

It would take more than a year of privation and hardship, but eventually the liberal army and Porto’s residents were able to break the siege and drive away the absolutists. Less than a year later, Dom Miguel conceded defeat and the Crown was transferred to Dona Maria II, Dom Pedro’s daughter.

 

Port wine cellars, Vila Nova de Gaia (35mm, f2, 1/40s, ISO 6400)
Port wine cellars, Vila Nova de Gaia (35mm, f2, 1/20s, ISO 6400)

Today, Porto’s toponymy retains many references to the siege. Praia da Memória, or ‘Beach of Memory’, marks the spot where the liberal army landed. One of the streets leading up to Serra do Pilar is called Rua dos Polacos, in honour of the many Polish mercenaries that lost their lives defending it. Rua da Travagem, which loosely translates to ’Blockage Street’, honours the efforts of Porto’s residents in stopping the absolutist army.

 

Women popping bubble wrap, Porto (Credits: João Mendes)
Ribeira, Porto (35mm, f5.6, 1/300s, ISO 200)

But by far the city’s biggest tribute to the siege is its formal name: Cidade Invicta do Porto, or ‘Unvanquished City of Porto’, given by Queen Maria II after the siege. No other Portuguese city bears the same distinction.

Verne*

51 thoughts on “Valour over spirits: what Porto is really about”

  1. Lovely photos, it must have be a tough selection process. You are always so good at that. As pretty as I imagined. And when the four ladies rolled around, first I thought each of them had a phone. Then I thought they were getting ready a marrying veil. But no – popping bubbles… 😮

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    2. Thank you, both for the compliments and suggesting this post! I had tried to write about Porto before, but couldn’t find a story in the photos. But then I had a second look, and Porto’s gritty personality came out loud and clear 🙂 -Verne

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  2. É sempre um privilégio espreitar este blog, admirar as fotos, que deduzo escrutinadas até ao mais ínfimo pormenor, e relembrar factos históricos passados e não raras vezes esquecidos! Fã incondicional 🙂 !

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  5. Thank you for taking the time to write such a fascinating post. I love the fact that the city has inscribed its memory of itself in its street names. Like tattoos.

    Tell me – did you draw the constitutional soldier? You’ve captured the awkward mix of nervousness and enthusiasm of young soldiers exactly. I’m always impressed at the magic of giving a two dimensional drawing youth or age. Your constitutional soldier has resolve too, somehow. Somewhere in the space between those lines.

    Do ladies in Porto spend a lot of time popping bubble wrap? Is it a modern replacement for lace-making? I suppose it gives the same opportunity for conversation while keeping your hands busy.

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    1. I did indeed draw the soldier! I wish I could take credit for conveying all those emotions, but I think they stem from your creativity rather than my drawing abilities 🙂

      It was the first time I saw this collective popping pastime, but it may well be a replacement for lace-making! I’ll keep an eye out for further examples.

      Thanks for dropping by, it’s always a pleasure reading your feedback! -Verne

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      1. Hi Verne – I like your soldier and I think you’re too modest. Your soldier has a ‘feeling’ to him. I don’t think you consciously drew emotion into the set of his shoulders, but you imagined him clearly and your imagination came to life on the page. I think there’s a magic that blooms somewhere between the lines in a confident drawing – when imagination speaks to imagination. So please keep drawing! And observing and reporting. It’s always a pleasure to read your posts.

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  8. Fantastic weave of history and scenic visualization of the city.
    It seemed that the first half of the 1800s were indeed the time of the revolutionaries, spilling over from the time of the French revolution and American independence.

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  11. You always seem to seamlessly combine good photography and engaging story-telling. Really enjoyed reading about Porto’s brief history — for some reason the city seems to be overlooked by most tourists, at least that’s my impression.

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    1. Thank you Bama! I think Porto was a bit out of reach for most tourists, but things are picking up know that there’s more and more international flights going there -Verne

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  15. That is a really interesting post. I have been to Portugal, but sadly ran out of time to visit Porto, and had no idea about it’s turbulent history. A fascinating read, and the pictures of Porto are tremendous. I definitely hope to visit next time I am lucky enough to go to Portugal.

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  16. Grande reportagem sobre o Porto, estive lá há bem pouco tempo e gostei imenso, Porto é mesmo uma cidade linda!!! Obrigado por espreitarem o meu “blog”, espero continuar a ler os vossos “relatos”.

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  20. I’ve only been to Porto once but I much preferred it to Lisbon. We are already planning a return visit later in the year. I’ll be looking for tips on what to do and where to eat.

    Our last visit was brief as we were booked on a week’s Douro river cruise. Unfortunately, none of the tours included wine vineyards which was a disappointment considering the wonderful wines produced there.

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  21. Hi!

    There’s a lot of rivalry between Lisbon and Porto, and we both live and love Lisbon, but there’s definitely a special charm around Porto that also hooked us from the beginning. We’ve been there a few times already, but are always planning on going back! And one of our upcoming plans is indeed the Douro river cruise. It’s supposed to be beautiful 🙂 As for the wine cellars, you can find plenty in Vila Nova de Gaia (the other margin of the river). We’re sure you won’t be disappointed! (Jules)

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  23. Pingback: Valour over spirits: what Porto is really about — Jules Verne Times Two — С любовью к людям!

  24. Congratulations for the article, I really enjoyed reading it. You rightly expressed the Portuense’s aweless character by evoking the siege, something that was evident during the French invasions. A curious fact: Dom Pedro IV gave his heart to the city, which is kept in the Igreja da Lapa.

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  25. Muito obrigada por esta blog post muito informativa! I will be spending a few days in Porto at the beginning of September, and it is always nice to learn little bits about the history of a place.

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