Praça da Ribeira. Praca da Ribeira is the heart of the quarter. This is a small cozy square with a work of contemporary art in the center – the square is decorated with a cube (O Cubo) by Jose Rodriguez. Despite the chaotic intersection of streets, it’s almost impossible to get lost in Ribeira district – if you go down, you will surely come out to the banks of the de Cais da Ribeira River, where you will find many bars, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. There are also small old ships (barcos rabelos) moored to the embankment. Previously, these ships were used as a transport – they brought port from remote villages to the city. Today, they are used for excursion purposes and offer tourist rides along the river. Football fans should definitely not forget to visit the Chez Lapin restaurant that is a permanent meeting place for fans of FC Porto. In the evening, the embankment of the Douro River is filled with fans of night entertainment.
Se Cathedral Se Cathedral was built in the XII-XIII centuries in the Romanesque style. However, with time, the design of the cathedral got some baroque elements. The cathedral was rebuilt from an old fortress located on Penha Ventosa hill. You can still see this clearly in some elements of the cathedral, especially in its crenellated walls. Such a design of the church was made on purpose – at that time it was important to protect the church from Muslims. The south of Portugal was ruled by the Moors, who were the followers of Islam. The cathedral was under construction until the XIX century. This is the reason why the cathedral complex is an intriguing collection of different architectural styles. For example, the funeral chapel of Joao Gordo is made in the Gothic style. The beautiful tombstone is supported by four lions are decorated with images of apostles.
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