Look up. This tower is Porto's compass: if you get lost among the steep streets of the centre, find it above the rooftops and you will know where you are. For centuries it did the same for boats sailing up the Douro.
1An Italian's masterpiece
The Brotherhood of the Clérigos, a confraternity of priests, commissioned the complex from Nicolau Nasoni, a Tuscan painter and architect who arrived in Porto in 1725 and went on to transform the city. The church was built between 1732 and 1750; the tower between 1754 and 1763. It stands about 75 metres high and is climbed by more than two hundred steps.
2A working tower
It was more than a bell tower. It served as a landmark for boats coming up the river, was used as a telegraph post and, for a time, noon was marked from here with a gunshot. It was the city's clock and lighthouse.
Nasoni died in 1773 and asked to be buried in this church. Exactly where he lies has still not been confirmed.
His signature is all over the city: the cathedral's gallery, the Misericórdia façade and several palaces bear his mark.
3What to look for
- The church façade, with its staircase and Baroque decoration.
- The stages of the tower, narrowing up to the ball and cross at the top.
- The clock and balconies of the belfry, high above.
Documented
The church was built between 1732 and 1750 and the tower between 1754 and 1763 to designs by Nicolau Nasoni; the complex has been a national monument since 1910.
Oral tradition
It is accepted that Nasoni asked to be buried in the church, but the exact location of his grave is unconfirmed.
Sources and credits
Irmandade dos Clérigos (official Torre dos Clérigos website); Direção-Geral do Património Cultural; UNESCO, Historic Centre of Porto.
Photos:
- Clérigos Tower, a tall Baroque granite tower: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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