São Bento Train Station
Portuguese history, culture and tradition.
The 20,000 tiles inside the entrance hall make this station one of the most special in the world. These beautiful panels represent historical episodes of Portugal.
From Monastery to a Station
Located at Almeida Garrett square is the São Bento Station, a building that replaced the previous Monastery of São Bento de Ave-Maria de Freiras Beneditinas, hence the origin of its name. The monastery predates the station, built between 1518 and 1535 on the initiative of King Manuel I.
When the first train arrived here, in 1896, the current building did not yet exist, however, it was in this year that the author of its architecture, Marques da Silva, idealized it as an end-of-course project at the School of Fine Arts in Paris, with the theme Gare Central.
Work of a Portuense
Marques da Silva was a student of Victor Laloux, the architect in charge of the Gare d’Orsay in Paris. When the student returned to Porto, he presented his project in the Town Hall, and after some changes, he was endorsed as responsible for the project in September 1899.
His designs were subject to scrutiny for a few years, and there were doubts about the large metal nave that Marques da Silva wanted to install over the station. The various discussions around the project created delays to the beginning of the project, starting only in 1903, with the official inauguration taking place in October 1916.
The Beautiful Panels
In the large entrance hall are the beautiful tile panels, installed in August 1915, about 550 square meters, and represent historical episodes of Portugal. Such as the marriage of D. Filipa de Lencastre with D. João I in 1386, the conquest of Ceuta, the Tournament of Arcos de Valdevez and rural scenes such as pilgrimages, processions and agricultural activities. The panels are by the painter Jorge Colaço, totaling twenty thousand tiles, making it one of the most beautiful stations in the world.
Experiences
Here in downtown, you will find some of the most interesting monuments in the city of Porto and the “Tour 3 – Downtown, Clérigos, Vitória and Virtudes” takes you to discover these iconic places and the stories that mark liberalism in Portugal. Discover the city of Porto and learn about its history and culture with the Walkinporto app.
The city of Porto has an ever-increasing and diverse range of accommodation and here at São Bento Station you will find one of the most authentic hostels in the city. If you are looking for low-cost accommodation, The Passenger Hostel is the right choice. Located in this iconic station, you are accommodated in one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. My accommodation suggestions are very centrally located so that you can feel and live the soul of the city up close and get to know its historic neighborhoods. Check out my accommodation suggestions.
