Stone memorial commemorating the arrival of the Crusaders
Located in front of Porto Cathedral on Cathedral Square (Terreiro da Sé), this stone memorial commemorates the arrival in Porto on June 16, 1147, of a fleet of Crusaders from northern Europe who were sailing toward the Holy Land during the Second Crusade.
During their stay in Porto, Bishop Pedro Pitões persuaded the Crusaders to assist Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, in his campaign to capture Muslim-held Lisbon, an important episode in the Portuguese Reconquista. The fleet subsequently sailed south, and the Crusaders played an important role in the conquest of Lisbon later that year.
The location of the memorial near Porto Cathedral is therefore significant. The cathedral and its bishop were closely associated with the events that brought the Crusaders into the Portuguese campaign.
Although much of the inscription has become difficult to read because of weathering, the date June 16, 1147 refers to the Crusaders’ arrival in Porto. The inscription at the bottom records that the Municipality of Porto ordered the memorial to be erected in 1932, nearly eight centuries after the event it commemorates.
Terreiro da Sé Images
– Stone Inscription Commemorating the Arrival of the Crusaders in 1147
– Pillory on the Square
– West Façade with Rose Window and Twin Bell Towers
Explore More About Porto Cathedral
– Porto Cathedral: A Unique Blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque Styles
– View of the Interior Showing Romanesque Nave and the Baroque High Altar
– View of the Interior Showing Romanesque Nave and Rose Window
– West Façade with Rose Window and Twin Bell Towers
– Sanctuary with the Magnificent Baroque High Altar
– Rose Window and Pipe Organ
– The Ribbed Vault Above the Crossing
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