Places
Pedro Cardigo
Regular Visits
Tours
Sat 11h + 15h, Architect Nuno Grande and Engineer Alexandra Coutinho / Sun 11h+15h, Architect Francisca Lopes
Plus Program
Maximum 30 people per visit
No reservation required; first-come, first-served
No wheelchair access
Photography allowed
Description
Monte da Lapa was an abandoned acropolis steeped in history, crowned by a bill with an ingenious zig-zag granite access. It was partly occupied by a few “ilhas”, which multiplied according to the working population attracted during Porto’s first industrialisation. The model adopted, apparently influenced by the English presence in the city in the 18th and 19th centuries, created a compact ring around the historic centre. This occupation was maintained by SAAL (Serviço de Apoio Ambulatório Local), which took place between 1974 and 1976, reversing the original spirit and granting it the right to be an open, communicating fabric: the right to the city. I was invited to develop a preservation and transformation project. The mill, used as a surveillance and communication post during the struggle between the Liberals and the Miguelists, will be occupied by a cafeteria. A six-bedroom guesthouse has been built on land previously occupied by demolished military installations. Fragments of the “ilhas”, in poor condition and with some units still inhabited, were recovered after negotiations involving users still present, giving rise to twenty-eight new lodgings of varying types, distributed over three centres. The aim of this project is to return the acropolis to the city and the islands to the rest of the urban fabric, bringing together old and new residents, tourists, students and other citizens who wish to (re)discover this unique place. (Álvaro Siza, 2023)
Location
Calçada da Lapa, 86
Directions: Google Maps / Apple Maps
Public Transport
Subway: Line A, B, C, E e F - Lapa Line D - Faria Guimarães
Bus: STCP, 304, 600 – Hospital Sta Maria