The Bridges of Bonfim and its surroundings
The Bridges of Bonfim and its surroundings
Did you know that in Bonfim you can see, closely, three of the six bridges of Porto city? Beside Infante Bridge, Maria Pia Bridge and Saint John Bridge, you can also enjoy the Fontainhas area with its astonishing view through Douro river and Vila Nova de Gaia. Don’t forget to visit Prado do Repouso Cemetery that has unique pieces of art!!
A - Infante Bridge
Address: Avenida de Paiva Couceiro
GPS coordinates: 41.141982, -8.601844
This arched bridge connects Fontainhas (Porto) and Serra do Pilar (Vila Nova da Gaia). Infante Bridge was inaugurated in March 2003 and was designed by the engineer António Adão da Fonseca. It has 371 meters long and 20 meters wide. (Learn more...)
B - Fontainhas Viewpoint
Address Alameda das Fontainhas
GPS coordinates: 41.1428494,-8.6014588
The area of Fontainhas is located in the southern end of Bonfim and is a must-visit area for those who want to contemplate the landscape of Douro, Vila Nova de Gaia and the city of Porto itself. In this viewpoint you can enjoy relaxing moments full of breath-taking sceneries. You can see the Douro River and its activities; the margin of Vila Nova de Gaia and Serra do Pilar Monastery; and you can also see four bridges of Porto: Luís I, Infante, Maria Pia and St. John Bridge. The area of Fontainhas is also a popular location on St. John Festival. (Learn more...)
C - Mercy Asylum
Address: Alameda das Fontainhas, 1, 4000-235, Porto
GPS coordinates: 41.143228, -8.601532
This building is considered one of the oldest buildings in Bonfim due to the fact that it was built in the eighteenth century to be a slaughterhouse of the city of Porto. After the relocation of this slaughterhouse and some adaptation and restoration, the building was occupied by a social asylum that was established in Porto in 1836. In the mid-nineteenth century, the building held one of the first industrial exhibitions of Porto. (Learn more...)
D - Prado do Repouso Cemetery
Address: Largo do Padre Baltazar Guedes
GPS coordinates: 41.1416587, -8.5954994
Opening hours: Everyday from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m
Prado do Repouso Cemetery was inaugurated in 1839. Considered as an open-air museum, this cemetery includes one of the best art collections of the city of Porto, bringing together works by renowned artists such as Soares dos Reis. There are also numerous buildings with historical and artistic value, built at the request of personalities of Porto that lie there. (Learn more...)
E - College of Orphans of Porto
Address: Largo do Padre Baltazar Guedes
GPS coordinates: 41.1413551, -8.5954828
The old College of Orphans of Porto, firstly know as Royal College of Orphans of Our Lady of Grace, was founded in 1651 in «Cordoaria», near Clérigos Church and Tower, by a priest from Porto called Baltazar Guedes. In 1903, the college was transferred to its actual location. In 1951, the Management and Administration of the College of Orphans of Porto was given to the Salesians by the Municipality of Porto. (Learn more...)
F - College of Orphans Viewpoint
Address: Largo do Padre Baltazar Guedes
GPS coordinates: 41.141239112112, -8.5956001281738
The College of Orphans Viewpoint allows a privileged view of the famous Maria Pia Bridge (1877) by Gustave Eiffel and St. John Bridge (1991) by Edgar Cardoso. The view of Vila Nova de Gaia is also noteworthy. (Learn more...)
G - Maria Pia Bridge
Address: Avenida de Paiva Couceiro
GPS coordinates: 41.139766, -8.596922
Maria Pia Bridge was constructed between January of 1876 and October of 1877 and it was inaugurated on 4th of November 1877, by D. Luís I and Dona Maria. Its construction was made by the French firm Eiffel & Company, twelve years before the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. This bridge was exclusively used to the railroad transportation between Devesas, in Vila Nova de Gaia and Campanhã, in Porto. This bridge links the two banks of the Douro River and it’s like a gigantic piece of iron filigree. Nowadays it is deactivated and waits a new use. (Learn more...)
H - Saint John Bridge
Address: Avenida de Paiva Couceiro
GPS coordinates: 41.139526, -8.59457
St. John Bridge is a railway infrastructure, designed by Edgar Cardoso, which connects Campanhã station in Porto to all southern destinations with the first station being General Torres in Vila Nova de Gaia. This bridge was built in order to create an alternative railway connection to the Maria Pia Bridge which was unable to effectively drain all the rail traffic to and from Porto. St. John Bridge was inaugurated on 24th of June 1991, the day of St. John Festival in Porto. (Learn more...)