The 14th-century Gothic cloister of Porto Cathedral surrounds a symmetrical courtyard with elegant stone arcades and striking Baroque azulejo panels. Its lower galleries provide access to Nicolau Nasoni’s richly decorated Sacristy and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade, while the upper terraces offer a different perspective of this historic cathedral complex.
The Casa do Cabido was built for the Cathedral Chapter of Porto Cathedral and contains some of the cathedral’s most interesting rooms. Its upper floor includes the former Archive Room and magnificent Chapter House, richly decorated with Baroque azulejos, sculptures of saints, and an extraordinary painted wooden ceiling. On the middle floor, the Treasure Room preserves vestments, liturgical books, reliquaries, monstrances, crosses, and other ceremonial objects used at the cathedral over the centuries.
Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto) stands above the Douro River as a remarkable blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles. Explore its history, magnificent interior, chapels, rose window, towers, and the architectural evolution that has shaped one of Portugal’s most important cathedrals.
Situated on the eastern side of the Patio de la Montería and next to the glamorous Pedro I Palace in the Real Alcázar complex, Casa de Contratación is an unremarkable Renaissance-style building. By its appearance, it is hard to imagine that the decisions made here changed the course of history. It was here many famous and infamous seafarers got approval and funding for their expeditions and brought back the looted riches from the New World. Many European countries who followed in the footsteps of Casa de Contratación to create their trade organizations – such as the East India companies – eventually ended up colonizing a large part of the world, to the detriment of indigenous people and their culture all over the world.
The original building that housed the Casa de Contratación had three halls, two of which have been well-preserved. These are the Admiral’s Hall and the Hall of Audiences. This page describes them with images of their interior and the paintings on display on their walls.
A Magnificent Building that Houses Valuable Art Treasures Attached to the south side of the Seville Cathedral, the Sacristía Mayor (Main Sacristy) is a Greek cross-shaped building crowned by a circular dome at the crossing. Surmounting the dome is a beautiful roof lantern built to provide daylight to the hall below. The work on this … Read more
A Magnificent Building Unique in Design and Rich in Decoration No visit to the Seville Cathedral is complete without seeing to the incredibly beautiful Sala Capitular (Chapter House), an ellipse-shaped hall attached to the southeast corner of the building. It is a highly ornate hall crowned by a magnificent dome that is elliptical in shape … Read more
Discover why Seville Cathedral is one of Spain’s greatest architectural masterpieces. Built on the site of a former Almohad mosque, this UNESCO World Heritage monument combines magnificent Gothic architecture with centuries of history. Explore its spectacular interior, the magnificent Retablo Mayor—the world’s largest altarpiece—and the final resting place of Christopher Columbus and his second son, Fernando Colón, along with many other treasures in this comprehensive visitor’s guide.
You cannot copy content of this page