Fernandine Walls

The Fernandina wall

The Porto audio-guided tour presents you with the Fernandina wall, a vestige of the old Gothic ramparts that once protected the city.

A trace of the medieval ramparts

Raised during the fourteenth century, this portion of Gothic fortification once belonged to the some three kilometres of ramparts intended to protect Porto from invasions coming from Spain. Demolished little by little over time, as the city extended beyond its walls, the Fernandina wall today subsists only on a short stretch. Listed as a National Monument since 1926, this vestige testifies to the defensive past of the city and to the strategic importance it held in the Middle Ages, at the time of the rivalries between the kingdoms of the peninsula.

What there is to see

The Fernandina wall raises its silhouette of Gothic stone, a witness of the old fortifications of Porto. Even reduced to a short stretch, this vestige offers a fine view over the city and the Douro, and recalls the medieval past of the city. It is a stage for history lovers, along the walk in the centre.

Practical information

The Fernandina wall is in the historic centre of Porto, near the banks of the Douro. Its preserved stretch can be contemplated freely at all hours; the surrounding route includes slopes, to be taken into account according to your mobility.

When was the Fernandina wall built?

During the fourteenth century; it was part of the some three kilometres of ramparts that protected Porto.

Why does only a short stretch remain?

Because the wall was demolished little by little over time; the surviving stretch has been listed as a National Monument since 1926.