Vila Nova de Gaia

The waterfront, in medieval times, is already beginning to stand out as an important shipyard and entrepot trade, and in the eighteenth century reached its great prosperity, with the establishment of foreign and Portuguese, from craftsmen to businessmen to merchants who expanded their business to the houses and warehouses in the area. Port wine or once called “Fine Wine” was the greatest wealth and symbol generated more life and quality in the historic center, with the creation of caves.

Currently, Vila Nova de Gaia History Center is full of interest mixed feelings among the historical heritage, such as the Monastery of Serra do Pilar, the Luiz I Bridge, the Caves of Port wine, the Church of Santa Marinha, the Monastery Corpus Christi, with the modernization of public spaces, which accompany the marginal Douro river, making also contrast with the old vessels, Rabelo boats and modern cruise the river crossing.

Vila_Nova_de_Gaia

North destinations of Portugal

Teixeira Lopes House Museum

House in which he lived António Teixeira Lopes, one of the greatest Portuguese sculptors of all time, making reflection of your personality, tastes and habits, this house museum now houses a collection of decorative arts, from furniture collections, ceramics, textiles, glass , jewelery, among others, and Portuguese painting core with works by Alfredo Keil, Antonio Carneiro, Antonio Ramalho, Aurélia de Sousa, Domingos Sequeira, Henry Pousão, João Vaz, José Malhoa, Silva Porto, Sousa Pinto, Vieira Lusitano, Vieira Porto, among others. At present, there is a permanent exhibition of the sculptor Diogo de Macedo, which included his sculptural works, such as his drawing production and painting. Although this collection, there is the collection of Black Art and the core of Modernist painting with pictures of Abel Manta, Almada Negreiros, Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, Carlos Botelho, Dórdio Gomes, Eduardo Viana, Júlio Pomar, Mário Eloy, between others. With free entry, it opens from Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10h00 to 12h00 and from 14h00 às17h00, the last entry one hour before closing; closed Monday and January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, June 24 and December 25.

Casa-Museu Teixeira Lopes

Mansion of Condes de Resende

Old country house of the Admirals of Portugal, being a place of passion between Eca de Queiroz and one of the daughters of Admirals. This solar presents the Condes de Resende file the documentation on Archaeology, History, Anthropology and Heritage and the museum houses the collection que “Marciano Azuaga” and was donated to the city in the year 1904. This is open every day from 9:00 am to 19:00 with free admission.

Solar dos Condes de Resende

House of Culture – House Barbot

The twentieth century, this is a unique example of Art Nouveau in Vila Nova de Gaia, presenting with beautiful grounds in tiles, as in grafes, stucco and glass. Its exquisite decoration was designed by sculptor gaiense Alves de Sousa, the painter Veloso Salgado and Baganha plasterer, who together created this house, which since 2007 welcomes Pelouro services of Gaia House of Culture.

Casa Barbot

Serra do Pilar Monastery

Located on top of an escarpment, occupying the area overlooking the Douro, this former landmark of Vila Nova de Gaia, it was listed as a World Heritage Site since 1996 by UNESCO. In order to receive the Holy of Canons Regular of St. Augustine, who was in Grijó monastery in a state of degradation, Frei Brás de Braga, according to D João III and D. Fr. Baltazar Limpo, Bishop of Porto, founded this new monastery. Their church was classified as a National Monument, which highlights the circular floor plan, covered by a hemispherical dome, already inside, the works stand out in gold and white woodwork and a cloister, a National Monument, with dome circular midrib, leaving rely on 36 Ionic columns. Its location was important in 1809, during the Napoleonic invasion and in 1832 and 1833 military base in liberal struggles, becoming a fortress and an artillery barracks. The monastery itself is a unique example in Portugal, having a terrace facing the river Douro, the oldest area of ​​Vila Nova de Gaia and the roofs of the Caves of Port wine. This open Tuesday to Sunday from November to March from 9h30 to 17h30 and from April to October from 9.30 to 18.30.

Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar

Grijó Monastery

Originally it was a small church of the tenth century, which evoked San Salvador. The 1572 year plan includes the church, the cloister and the sacristy, and in 1626 was completed and blessed. With a ship-only, consists of a chancel and three smaller chapels and an altar on each side, as with the high-choir is a pipe organ from the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century, which was recently restored . In the eighteenth century, the interior of the monastery was renovated with decorative art tile and carving typically Baroque. Already the facade contains Flemish influences and in 1998 was enriched with stained glass windows designed by Master Júlio Resende, representing the Trinity and Creation. In the cloister are to highlight the tile panels, representing the evangelists and doctors of the church and the center a source of the early seventeenth century, here also highlights the tomb of the thirteenth century, D. Rodrigo Sanches, having been made in stone hip. This monastery was classified as a National Monument.

Mosteiro de Grijo

Maria Pia bridge

It was the first rail link between Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto, designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel, it was inaugurated on November 4, 1877, with the presence of Queen Maria Pia and her husband King Louis I. For its time, this bridge was a bold and creative work that still dazzles Portuguese and foreign.

Ponte Maria Pia

Arrábida bridge

It is one of the last bridges, before the mouth of the Douro, designed by engineer Edgar Cardoso, the June 22, 1963 stunned the world with his project – a sustained board pro an arc with a span of 270 meters, which to this point , the arch reinforced concrete was the largest in the world. Currently, it remains the main road crossing over the River Douro.

Ponte da Arrabida

S. João bridge

Inaugurated on June 24, 1991, designed by engineer Edgar Cardoso, this aims rail pass service which replaced the Ponte D. Maria, since that did not allow the passage of machines at a speed exceeding 20 km / h with a limited load. This new bridge in reinforced concrete in the form of Pi, with a continuous portico with vertical pillars with three spans, setting a world record for this type bridges in 1991.

Ponte S. Joao

Natural Reserve Douro estuary Local

A small nature reserve, resulting from the agreement between the municipality of Gaia, through the Biological Park, and the Administration of Douro and Leixões. This aims at the protection of birds and landscape, in which an annual cycle, the estuary of the River Douro, the kingfishers, cormorants, herons, egrets, kingfishers-the-rocks, turtledoves-fish, plovers , seixoeiras, gulls of several species, among many other birds come and beautify the landscape. For those who like to watch birds, the bay of San Paio is a choice location. Access to the gangways is open from sunrise to sunset, the sun, since the interpretive-center is open every day from 9h00 to 13h00 and from 14h00 to 16h30.

Reserva Natural Local do Estuario do Douro

Gaia riversides

Environmental Education Center of Ribeiras de Gaia promotes educational activities and promotes environmental strategy of the Municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia, seeking to sensitize visitors to environmental issues, especially problems related to water, energy, nature conservation and waste. This can also take advantage of a pedestrian route. It is open Monday to Friday from 9h00 to 13h00 and from 14h00 to 17h00.

Ribeiras de Gaia