São Bento Station

This is the railway station in the heart of Porto, but its name gives away what came before: São Bento is Saint Benedict, and a convent of Benedictine nuns once stood here.

1From convent to railway

The convent of São Bento de Avé-Maria was founded on the orders of King Manuel I in 1518. It burned in 1783 and was rebuilt, but the 19th century brought both the abolition of religious orders and the railway. When the decision was taken to bring trains right into the city centre, the old convent was demolished in the 1890s.

King Carlos I laid the foundation stone of the new building in 1900. The French-inspired design was by architect José Marques da Silva, and the station was officially opened in 1916.

2History in tiles

Step into the entrance hall: some twenty thousand azulejos painted by Jorge Colaço between 1905 and 1916 cover the walls. The great blue panels tell episodes from the history of northern Portugal: the Battle of Arcos de Valdevez, the loyalty of Egas Moniz, John I's entry into Porto and the conquest of Ceuta in 1415.

High above, a coloured frieze tells another story: the history of transport, from the ox cart to the steam locomotive.

3What to look for

• The conquest of Ceuta panel, an expedition partly launched from the Douro shipyards.
• The rural scenes of grape harvests, pilgrimages and mills between the historical panels.
• The coloured frieze below the ceiling, the only splash of colour.