Porto

Porto is a Portuguese city and the capital of the sub-region of the Metropolitan Area of Porto and the Northern region, belonging to the Porto district.

It is the seat of the Porto Municipality, with a total area of 41.42 km², 231,962 inhabitants in 2021 and a population density of 5,165 inhabitants per km², divided into 7 parishes. The municipality is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Matosinhos and Maia, to the east by Gondomar, to the south by Vila Nova de Gaia and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

It is the city that gave its name to Portugal - since ancient times (c. 200 BC), when it was called Portus Cale, later becoming the capital of the County of Portucalense, from which Portugal was formed. It is also a city known worldwide for its wine, bridges and contemporary and ancient architecture, its historic center, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, for the quality of its restaurants and its gastronomy, and for its main public university: the University of Porto, ranked among the top 200 universities in the world and among the top 100 universities in Europe.

It originated from a Celtic, pre-Roman settlement. In Roman times it was called Cale or Portus Cale, which is the origin of the name Portugal.

On April 27, 711 AD, the beginning of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula took place, with the landing in Gibraltar of a Moorish army of 9,000 men, led by Táriq Ibn Ziyad. In 714, they took Lisbon, and in 715 the Islamic forces reached the northern region of what we now know as Portugal, taking the main towns and cities, such as Porto and Braga. In 716, practically the entire peninsula was under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate, except for a small mountainous area in Asturias, where Christian resistance took refuge.

After a century and a half, in 868, the first attempts at a definitive reconquest emerged. Vímara Peres, founder of the Portucalense land, had an important contribution to the conquest of the territory, thus restoring the city of Portucale.

Finally, two centuries after the beginning of the invasion, in 999, Gascon nobles, including D. Nónego, bishop of Vendôme in France and later bishop of Porto, entered with a large fleet through the mouth of the Douro River, to expel the Moors. This fleet, which became known as the Armada of the Gascons, associated with D. Munio Viegas, conquered the city of Porto from the Moors to dedicate it to the Virgin Mother of God. After this battle, D. Munio and the "French" rebuilt Porto. They erected the old and strong walls, and in the highest part of the city, they founded a castellated and well-fortified alcácer which, after the Count Henry, served as the residence of the bishops, to whom it was donated. The tower and the main gate were the work of D. Nónego, who, in memory of his homeland, named it the Vandoma gate, and who, on the facade of the tower, erected the sanctuary where he placed the image of Our Lady of Porto, which he had already brought with him from France.

In 1111, Teresa of León, mother of the future first king of Portugal, granted Bishop D. Hugo the couto of Porto. The image of Our Lady is part of the city's coat of arms. Hence the fact that Porto is also known as the "city of the Virgin", a nickname that should be joined by those of "Ancient, Very Noble, Always Loyal and Invincible", which have been attributed to it over the centuries and in the wake of valorous deeds by its inhabitants, and ratified by decree of D. Maria II of Portugal.

The city was nicknamed "Paradise" by D. Fernando, who, during his childhood, visited the city several times accompanied by the greatest and most powerful descendants of the great Portuguese noble families, such as D.Dinis de Aveiro, a great friend of his.

During the dynastic crisis of 1383-1385, the city remained, for the most part, loyal to the Master of Avis, illegitimate son of D.Pedro and half-brother of D.Fernando. In 1384, near what is now the northern bank of the city of Porto, a Castilian expeditionary force, which had entered Portugal through Galicia, was confronted by a small Portuguese garrison composed of about 180 men, whose function was to patrol the illegal passage across the Douro river. The Castilian force, much larger, had about 650 men, including 500 infantry and the remaining 150 a mixture of Castilian and French nobles whose goal was to join the army of D.Juan of Castile for the siege of Lisbon. This small skirmish took place on the morning of July 16, 1384 and had a pleasant outcome for the Portuguese, who, even with such a numerical disadvantage, managed to drive away the Castilians who fled to the north of Portugal. The supplies they brought to relieve the Castilian troops in the siege of Lisbon were seized by Pedro Rito and Dinis Oliveira, officers of the Portuguese garrison. Some say that this small battle was decisive for the outcome of the siege in Lisbon, as in addition to losing a reinforcement of 650 men, all the supplies they brought as food and siege weapons were seized and never reached the rest of the army.

It was within its walls that King D. João I married the English princess D. Filipa de Lencastre. The city was the birthplace of Infante D. Henrique, known as the Infante of Sagres or The Navigator.

Due to the sacrifices the city made to support the preparation of the fleet that departed in 1415 for the conquest of Ceuta, with the Porto population offering all the available meat to the expeditionaries and only keeping the "tripas" for their own consumption, the people of Porto gained the nickname of "tripeiros", a more affectionate than derogatory expression. This is also the reason why the traditional dish of the city is still, to this day, "Tripas à moda do Porto".

The city played a crucial role in defending the ideals of liberalism, particularly in the battles of the 19th century. In fact, the courage with which it endured the siege of Miguelist troops during the civil war of 1832-34 and the valorous deeds undertaken by its inhabitants - the famous Siege of Porto - even earned it the title, unique among the other cities of Portugal, of Invicta City of Porto (still present in the listel of its coat of arms), hence the epithet by which it is often mentioned by antonomasia - the "Invicta". One of its many churches - the Lapa Church - houses the heart of D. Pedro IV of Portugal, which he offered to the city's population as a tribute to their contribution to the liberal cause.

City awarded the Military Order of the Tower and Sword, of Valor, Loyalty and Merit on April 26, 1919.