{"id":9799,"date":"2022-02-04T15:28:38","date_gmt":"2022-02-04T15:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/palacio-da-bolsa-porto\/"},"modified":"2024-01-18T14:20:49","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T14:20:49","slug":"palacio-da-bolsa-porto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/palacio-da-bolsa-porto\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pal\u00e1cio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) in Porto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Palacio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) is one of Porto’s most emblematic monuments. Follow the guide! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The Captain\u2019s tip<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83e\uddd0 Want to know more about Porto’s history?<\/strong> Captain Ulysses highly recommends this free guided tour of the city<\/a><\/mark>. It\u2019s up to you to choose how much you wish to tip the tour guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Looking for an hotel in Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out the Captain’s article: Where to stay in Porto? Advice & recommendations<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Planning your trip to Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out Captain Ulysses’ complete article on what to see and do in the city: a Guide to Porto<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc76 Planning a family adventure to Porto?<\/strong> Discover all of the Captain\u2019s top tips in the article: Exploring Porto with the Kids: Family-Friendly Activities<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Brief history of the Pal\u00e1cio da Bolsa<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The city’s commercial association, the Associa\u00e7\u00e3o Comercial do Porto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The ancestor of the city’s commercial association was born\nin the 18th century, when the local merchants joined forces to create\na guild. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1833, the guild became the Associa\u00e7\u00e3o Comercial do\n Porto<\/em> , the Commercial Association of Porto, which established rules similar to\nto a commerce code in order to arbitrate commercial disputes between its members.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, the missions and prerogatives of the Association\nevolved until it eventually took on the role of Chamber of\ncommerce and industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brief history of the Pal\u00e1cio da Bolsa <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 1841, Queen Maria II of Portugal donated the land on which the Palacio da Bolsa is built\nto the city’s\ncommercial association. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The construction of the palace began the following year. Construction work was\nentrusted to the Portuguese architect Joaquim da Costa Lima, who incorporated both\nEnglish and neo-classical influences in the design. The Palacio da Bolsa was\ninaugurated in 1891, but the construction was actually completed almost 20 years later, 1910. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The palace is now classified as a “National Monument” and\nis unanimously considered as one of the city’s most emblematic buildings.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Pal\u00e1cio da Bolsa<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Palacio<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Visiting the Pal\u00e1cio da Bolsa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While the Palacio da Bolsa is no longer the seat of the city’s\nstock exchange, it remains the property of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry\nand regularly hosts major events and gala evenings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this reason, the number of visitors\nis limited and visitors cannot freely explore the palace:\nall visitors must join a\nguided tour (available in several languages), which can be booked at the ticket office or online (more on that further in the article \ud83d\ude09). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The available slots tend to fill up quite quickly,\nespecially during high season. Captain Ulysses therefore recommends\nbooking your guided tour the day before or early in\nthe morning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biblioteca da Dreito Commercial (Commercial Law Library)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before starting your visit to the Palacio da Bolsa, be sure\nto check out the Commercial Law Library ( Biblioteca\n da Direito Commercial<\/em> in Portuguese), which is located opposite the ticket office,\nat the entrance to the palace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawyers, judges and jurists used to come\nhere to consult the legal texts governing Portuguese\nriver cruise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e1tio das Na\u00e7\u00f5es (Nations’ Courtyard)<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Palacio<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The visit to the Palacio da Bolsa begins on the ground floor, in\nthe gallery running around the Nation’s Courtyard (P\u00e1tio das Na\u00e7\u00f5es<\/em> in\nPortuguese). This vast central courtyard was originally an open sky patio; it is\nnow surmounted by a large octagonal glass roof with a metal frame\ndesigned in 1880 by the architect Tom\u00e1s Soler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might notice\na series of 25 civil coats of arms: they represent the 25 nations that\nPortugal was closest to at the time when the Palacio da Bolsa was built, both commercially and\nculturally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Grand Staircase<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the west gallery, the Grand staircase leads to the\nupper floor of the Palacio da Bolsa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Built in marble and granite, this imposing staircase was designed\nby architect Gon\u00e7alves e Sousa in 1868 and is adorned with sculptures by\nartists Ant\u00f3nio Soares dos Reis and Ant\u00f3nio Teixeira Lopes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t forget to look up to take a look at the\nceiling frescoes, created by Ant\u00f3nio Ramalho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Palacio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Palacio<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sala do Tribunal (Tribunal Room)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the first floor of the Stock Exchange Palace, the Tribunal Hall\n(Sala do Tribunal<\/em>) is adorned with woodwork reminiscent of the style\nof the French Renaissance. The walls are decorated with various allegories while\nthat the fresco painted on the ceiling represents the Commercial Association of Porto,\nwhose motto stands out: \u201cLex et Iusticia\u201d (\u201cLaw and Justice\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Palacio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Tribunal<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Medina Room<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The deliberation of the\njurors took place in this room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sala do Presidente (President’s Room)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The President’s Room (Sala do Presidente<\/em>)\ncomprises an antechamber as well as the office of the President of the city’s\ncommercial association. The inlaid parquet floor of the office\nis quite stunning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sala Dourada (Golden Room)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Golden Room ( Sala Dourada<\/em> in Portuguese) \u2014 which served\nmultiple purposes \u2014 is named after its ceiling, decorated with gold leaf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sala das Assembleias Gerais (General Assembly Hall)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The General Assembly Hall (Sala das Assembleias \nGerais<\/em>) still hosts the general assembly of the city’s\ncommercial association, which is held once a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the walls seem to be covered in wood, it’s actually\nan illusion. Take a good look\u2026 the coating is in reality plaster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Venetian<\/a> glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling is quite striking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Palacio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sala dos Retratos (Portrait Room)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Portrait Room\n(Sala dos Retratos)<\/em> is named to the portraits\nof the last six kings of the Dynasty of Braganza, which adorn its walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The room is richly decorated with precious furniture, including a\nmarquetry table and Louis XVI style sofas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sal\u00e3o \u00c1rabe (Arab Room)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last stop on the tour, the Arab Room (Sal\u00e3o \u00c1rabe)\nis undoubtedly the jewel of the Palacio da Bolsa. Built between 1862 and 1880\nby the architect Gon\u00e7alves e Sousa (who also designed the palace’s grand\nstaircase), the Arab Room was inspired by the Alhambra in Granada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sumptuous 300-square-meter reception room\nis covered with stucco decorated with gold leaf\u2026 a total of 18 kilos of gold\nwere necessary! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Arab<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Getting to the Stock Exchange Palace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Palacio da Bolsa is located in the historic center of Porto, a 3-minute walk from the banks of the Douro and about ten minutes from the Clerigos Tower<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n