Porto

Sister cities

• Recife
• Kharkiv
• Nagasaki
• Bristol
• Macau
• Vigo
• Shanghai
• Rio de Janeiro
• Crotone
• Liège
• Luanda
• Jena

History

Before the Roman conquest, the region was inhabited by the Gallaeci, a Celtic people. Archaeological ruins from this period have been uncovered in several locations. Findings suggest that human settlements existed at the mouth of the Douro River as early as the 8th century BC, possibly indicating the presence of a Phoenician trading post. Under the Roman Empire, Porto (then known as Portus Cale) developed into a significant commercial hub, facilitating trade between Olissipona (modern Lisbon) and Bracara Augusta (modern Braga). Between 714 and 716, Porto came under Muslim control following the Umayyad conquest of Hispania. It was reconquered by Christian forces under Alfonso I of Asturias in 741, establishing Porto as a fortified Christian frontier town. In 868, Vímara Peres, a Galician nobleman and vassal of Alfonso III of León, was granted the fief of Portucale. He repopulated and fortified the area between the Minho and Douro rivers, founding the County of Portucale—later known as the County of Portugal. In 1093, Teresa of León, illegitimate daughter of Alfonso VI of Castile, married Henry of Burgundy, who received the County of Portugal as dowry. Under their son, Afonso I of Portugal, the region declared independence in the 12th century and became the nucleus of the Portuguese nation-state. In 1387, Porto hosted the marriage of John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster, cementing the Anglo-Portuguese alliance, which remains the oldest enduring military alliance in the world. By the 15th century, Porto had become a prominent shipbuilding and maritime center. In 1415, Prince Henry the Navigator launched the Conquest of Ceuta from Porto, initiating the Portuguese Age of Discovery. The nickname tripeiros (tripe-eaters) originates from this period, when better…

Geography

Located approximately 280 km (170 miles) north of Lisbon, the historic center of Porto was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Administratively, Porto is divided into seven civil parishes (freguesias): * Aldoar, Foz do Douro e Nevogilde * Bonfim * Campanhã * Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória * Lordelo do Ouro e Massarelos * Paranhos * Ramalde

Most-observed species

• Yellow-legged Gull

  Larus michahellis J.F.Naumann, 1840 · Aves
  17,464
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  14,681
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  13,522
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11,830
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11,529
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  10,255
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  8,753
• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  7,778

Most recent

• M 3.3 — 2015-05-02
  1 km WSW of Arcos, Portugal
• M 2.6 — 2007-04-17
  1 km WNW of Aves, Portugal
• M 2.5 — 2006-10-05
  5 km SSW of Vieira do Minho, Portugal
• M 2.5 — 2005-09-06
  6 km W of Sande, Portugal
• M 2.8 — 2005-06-19
  4 km W of Ponte de Lima, Portugal
• M 2.7 — 2005-06-19
  3 km NW of Ponte de Lima, Portugal