Porto de Virtudes

In the city of Porto, the area inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1996) covers approximately 90ha, which roughly correspond to the area delimited by the 14th century medieval wall, the Dom Luís I Bridge and the Serra do Pilar Monastery in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia. Here, the multisecular value of urban (product of a topographic complexity of streets, alleys, alleyways, alleys, stairways, squares and yards) and architectural (residential or monumental) fabrics join the cultural values accumulated throughout eras. This reflects the connection between the social organization, the economy and the geography of the city, which maintained a stable and coherent relationship with the urban and the natural environment.

Accordingly, the urban site of Virtudes stands out for the permanence of a longstanding outline. The place presents itself as a luminary example of the phenomenon of urban development. The construction of an urban front leaning against the exterior of the wall was a frequent phenomenon in European cities of medieval configuration, whose capacity to accommodate more residents and new equipment in the walled perimeter reached a limit, forcing new sprawl solutions. On the other hand, this urban sprawl usually took place in lands that were previously occupied by periurban farms intended for production and/or recreation, as in this case. But the exceptional character of the Virtudes case lies in the survival of the pristine configuration of its geomorphological characteristics. To our days, it remains an imprint of human occupation that, throughout the centuries, did not experience any significant change in the slopes and valley where once flowed the Frio river, a tributary of the Douro river basin.

The Virtudes Estate, located in the parish of Miragaia, dates back to the 17th century and is nowadays the headquarters of the artistic cooperative. Once dedicated to leisure and agricultural exploitation, it is renowned for the great landscape value imposed by its setting overlooking the Douro river. The many areas of the estate accommodated different uses throughout the centuries, thus building evidence to its transformations and continuities. The Virtudes Estate must be understood as an ensemble of elements, such as the Virtudes manor (the main residence), the annexes (contiguous to the house) and the garden, developed in terraces that were formerly and mostly used for agricultural production. These elements must also be understood in connection with other urban equipment, such as the Fogueteiros Street and Wall as well as the Virtudes fountain, which attest to further uses.

The geomorphology of spaces has always conditioned their occupation and use by Man. Taking advantage of the sunny and fertile slopes of the Frio river valley, cultivated terraces emerged in Virtudes: fields, small gardens, and farms. Amongst these, the Virtudes estate stood out, in the 18th century. This was the space where, in the following century, the nursery garden, owned by José Marques Loureiro (1830-1898), prospered. Under his care, it became one of the most important horticultural establishments in the country, granted with international projection and several awards in plant exhibitions. The growing success of the business led to investments in new nurseries, located in the city of Porto and in Maia, as well as the opening of a branch in Lisbon. Among its many visitors and clients were the Portuguese royal family. From 1890, the Nursery Garden of Virtudes was called the «Royal Horticultural-Agricultural Company of Porto», and Jerónimo Monteiro da Costa was then its manager. At the time, the Gardens of Porto were greatly encouraged, and many of them received plants from this nursery, whose specimens are difficult to identify. To this day, both the date and circumstances that led to the closing of the Nursery Garden of Virtues have not been determined.

The intervention projects carried out in the “Almadas” Period (1763-1804) sought, above all, to define new urban sprawl lines, modernize the urban network of medieval origin and create new and significant routes of circulation, thus linking the riverside area of Porto to the gates of the King Fernando wall, which gained a monumental character. Additionally, one of the most interesting urban concerns of the Philippine Era was given continuity with the reorganization of public spaces, as attested by the first avenues – Olival, Hortas and Batalha –, the planting of trees and the installation of rest benches, along with the creation of public squares, the renovation of sidewalks and the provision of water and improvement of berths. Therefore, the first green area to be created outside the city wall was the Cordoaria Avenue (1611). An aspect that characterizes the intervention of the Public Works Board (Junta de Obras Públicas) (1789-1892) in the city of Porto concerned the arrangement of public gardens, especially those organized as balconies facing the river, such as the Virtudes.

The Morro da Vitória enjoyed the first signs of planned urbanization after a royal decree (1396) issued by King João I (r. 1385-1433), which ordered the installation of a jewish quarter inside the walled perimeter of the city, known then as the New Jewish Quarter. The evolution of the old Olival hill shows that, in order to understand urban spaces, it is essential to consider any pre-existences, natural or resulting from anthropic activity. The relevance attained by the area from the Philippine Era onwards attracted noble families. Their presence is identified by noble houses with coats of arms that mark the urban landscape, but mainly by the development of recreational spaces with green areas, such as those emerged in Cordoaria, that later on culminated with the Virtudes Promenade. The persistence of traditional architectures that result from the conservation of urban elements during the first reinforcement of the city outside the walls, grant the Virtudes area with a great residential and tourist potential, inflated by its proximity to other landmarks. The housing structures of the Virtudes Promenade display a certain degree of erudition, both in their planning and in the materials employed, such as carved stones and azulejo. Multiple patterns and colours complete what is already a unique lighting environment, from its solar exposure to the trees that filter the light and project their shadows on the façades.

From the 17th century onward, several buildings existed in the area that is now occupied by the Cordoaria Garden, such as chapels, grain warehouses, military hospitals, hospices and markets. The Palácio da Justiça (Courthouse), which today stands out in the urban landscape for its monumental architecture, imposed a rupture between Virtudes and the upper areas of the city. The site, formerly called Sítio do Calvário Novo, was profoundly changed by the building, both in terms of construction and of city life. The Palácio da Justiça, initiated in 1958 and inaugurated in 1961, is located in what is now known as the Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, in the parish of Miragaia. Both the architectural and the decorative programs were authored by the architect Raul Rodrigues Lima, and emphasise a solemn and grand image associated with the historical and cultural richness of the city, as well as with the function of the building.

According to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (UNESCO, 1972) groups of buildings are considered of value when they involve separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science (Art. 1). The inscription of the Porto’s Historic Centre on the UNESCO World Heritage list was based on the exceptional universal value of the urban fabric of its historic centre, whose aesthetic value bears witness to a urban development that dates back, in a very unique way, to Roman, Medieval and almadina (18th century) period. The richness and variety of the civil architecture found in the historic center of Oporto translate cultural values from consecutive eras and reflect a perfect accommodation to the social and geographical structure of the city, maintaining a stable and coherent relationship between urban and natural environment over the centuries. A dynamic social and institutional fabric ensures its survival as an historic centre. The city of Oporto is composed of layers that draw a particular urban historical landscape which, as stated in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (2012) should be aimed at preserving the quality of the human environment, enhancing the productive and sustainable use of urban spaces, while recognizing their dynamic character, and promoting social and functional diversity (Art. 11). Following the recommendation of the most recent international doctrine on the subject, preserving the Historic Urban Landscape of the City of Oporto, with its Historic Centre and more particularly the Virtudes, should, therefore, be rooted in a balanced and sustainable relationship between the urban and natural environment, between the needs of present and future generations and the legacy from the past (UNESCO 2012: Art. 11).