Santo Ildefonso - Porto

In a city with more than a few Baroque churches Santo Ildefonso near Batalha square is one of the finest. Completed in 1739 unlike many of the Baroque masterpieces in Porto it was not designed by architect Nicolas Nasoni, however, he did design the altar.

The azulejo tiles that give the church its iconic facade were actually a much more recent addition. They were only added in 1932 and are the work of .Jorge Colaço. The tiles depict the life of Saint Ildefonso and stories from the Gospels. 

Saint Ildefonso, to whom the church is dedicated was a 7th century bishop of Toledo.

Posted by Travel in Portugal on
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Porto travel guide »

Porto is considered the capital of the north and as the second largest city in Portugal, rightfully so. There are really very few similarities between Porto and Lisbon – they are both near the coast, on the banks of large rivers and have some fairly daunting hills, but that’s really where it ends. The two cities have a totally different feel and different charms.Porto’s most striking…