Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 41.14144004330275, -8.615681604772126

The Palácio da Bolsa, or Palácio da Associação Comercial do Porto, in the city of Porto, Portugal, began construction in October 1842, due to the closure of the Casa da Bolsa do Comércio, which temporarily forced Porto merchants to discuss their businesses on Rua dos Ingleses, in the open air.

With a mixture of architectural styles, the building presents, in all its splendour, traces of 19th century neoclassical, Tuscan architecture, as well as English neopalladian. But still inside and coated with gold.

Headquarters of the Commercial Association of Porto, it now serves for the most diverse cultural, social and political events in the city. The Arabian Hall has the greatest prominence of all the rooms in the palace due, as the name implies, to the 19th century stuccoes, captioned in gold with Arabic characters that fill the walls and ceiling of the room. It is in this hall that tributes to heads of state who visit the city take place.

In the Portrait Room, there is a famous table by the carver Zeferino José Pinto, which took three years to build, proving to be a "highly qualified example in all the international exhibitions to which it competed".

Chronology

July 24, 1832

Its more than 180 years of existence date back to the night of July 24, 1832, during the siege of Porto, when a huge fire broke out in the convent of S. Francisco, of which only the current church remained.

October 15, 1834

Royal authorization was granted to the trade body of the city of Porto for the use of the ruined building of the Convent of S. Francisco, with a view to installing the Court of Commerce and the Commercial Association.

October 6, 1842

The Commercial Association of Porto lays the first stone for the construction of the Palácio da Bolsa, under the presidency of José Henriques Soares, Baron of Ancede. The general design of the building was designed by the architect Joaquim da Costa Lima.

November 4, 1850

The works on the first floor of the building and on the main front are concluded. “This house of ours is rising from its ruins and already shows itself to be quite beautiful”, the Board would not fail to exult in the respective annual report.

1860s

The exquisite work on the interiors of the Palácio da Bolsa took place from the 1860s onwards, with the works taking a new direction. A close connection was then developed between these works and those that were being carried out in the construction of the old Crystal Palace. Due to its long duration and the required quality, the construction of the Palácio da Bolsa became a true school for the artists who worked there.

June 12, 1880

The Arab Room, the jewel of the Palace, is inaugurated on the occasion of Camões' tercentenary celebrations. The construction works of this emblematic space, designed by Gustavo Adolfo Gonçalves e Sousa, took place over 18 years.

1909

The works and decoration of the Palácio da Bolsa were concluded in 1909, on the occasion of the visit of King D. Manuel II, shortly before the proclamation of the Republic.

05 October 1910

With the implementation of the Republic, on October 5, 1910, the Palácio da Bolsa was inventoried and vacated and ownership of the building was signed on February 11, 1911. One of the paintings of a monarch present in the space, that of D. Carlos I, was vandalized with two pistol shots. The building was returned to the Commercial Association in 1918, during the government of Sidónio Pais.

Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 41.14144004330275, -8.615681604772126

The Palácio da Bolsa, or Palácio da Associação Comercial do Porto, in the city of Porto, Portugal, began construction in October 1842, due to the closure of the Casa da Bolsa do Comércio, which temporarily forced Porto merchants to discuss their businesses on Rua dos Ingleses, in the open air.

With a mixture of architectural styles, the building presents, in all its splendour, traces of 19th century neoclassical, Tuscan architecture, as well as English neopalladian. But still inside and coated with gold.

Headquarters of the Commercial Association of Porto, it now serves for the most diverse cultural, social and political events in the city. The Arabian Hall has the greatest prominence of all the rooms in the palace due, as the name implies, to the 19th century stuccoes, captioned in gold with Arabic characters that fill the walls and ceiling of the room. It is in this hall that tributes to heads of state who visit the city take place.

In the Portrait Room, there is a famous table by the carver Zeferino José Pinto, which took three years to build, proving to be a "highly qualified example in all the international exhibitions to which it competed".

Chronology

July 24, 1832

Its more than 180 years of existence date back to the night of July 24, 1832, during the siege of Porto, when a huge fire broke out in the convent of S. Francisco, of which only the current church remained.

October 15, 1834

Royal authorization was granted to the trade body of the city of Porto for the use of the ruined building of the Convent of S. Francisco, with a view to installing the Court of Commerce and the Commercial Association.

October 6, 1842

The Commercial Association of Porto lays the first stone for the construction of the Palácio da Bolsa, under the presidency of José Henriques Soares, Baron of Ancede. The general design of the building was designed by the architect Joaquim da Costa Lima.

November 4, 1850

The works on the first floor of the building and on the main front are concluded. “This house of ours is rising from its ruins and already shows itself to be quite beautiful”, the Board would not fail to exult in the respective annual report.

1860s

The exquisite work on the interiors of the Palácio da Bolsa took place from the 1860s onwards, with the works taking a new direction. A close connection was then developed between these works and those that were being carried out in the construction of the old Crystal Palace. Due to its long duration and the required quality, the construction of the Palácio da Bolsa became a true school for the artists who worked there.

June 12, 1880

The Arab Room, the jewel of the Palace, is inaugurated on the occasion of Camões' tercentenary celebrations. The construction works of this emblematic space, designed by Gustavo Adolfo Gonçalves e Sousa, took place over 18 years.

1909

The works and decoration of the Palácio da Bolsa were concluded in 1909, on the occasion of the visit of King D. Manuel II, shortly before the proclamation of the Republic.

05 October 1910

With the implementation of the Republic, on October 5, 1910, the Palácio da Bolsa was inventoried and vacated and ownership of the building was signed on February 11, 1911. One of the paintings of a monarch present in the space, that of D. Carlos I, was vandalized with two pistol shots. The building was returned to the Commercial Association in 1918, during the government of Sidónio Pais.