Clérigos Church & Tower

Igreja e Torre dos Clérigos

A Baroque church designed by the 18th-century Italian architect Nasoni. The 76-metre Clérigos Tower was once Portugal's tallest building, and climbing its 240 steps rewards you with views over the whole city.

The Church of the Clérigos was commissioned by a brotherhood of clergymen and built by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni between 1732 and 1750. It is a masterpiece of Portuguese Baroque architecture, with an oval nave and a granite-carved facade that was avant-garde for its time. Nasoni himself is buried inside the church. The Clérigos Tower, completed in 1763, stands 75.6 metres tall. Its six granite levels are covered in Baroque decoration, and it is a landmark of Porto's skyline. In the 19th century it was the tallest building in the country and served as a navigation reference for ships entering the port. Climbing the tower means around 240 spiral steps, and in narrow sections you must step aside to let others pass. From the top, a 360-degree view takes in the old town's red-tiled roofs, the Douro, the bridges and the Atlantic beyond. Tickets for the church, tower and museum together cost about €10. Evening visits (after 19:00) cost more but include a glass of port. Timed tickets can be pre-booked at torredosclerigos.pt to avoid queues. The church itself is free to enter during Mass. The best times to climb are at 9 a.m. opening, when the light is good and there are no queues, or in the evening to catch the blue hour after sunset. Opposite the tower on Rua dos Carmelitas is Livraria Lello. Nearby are the Carmo Church, with its huge tiled exterior wall, the Lion Fountain Square and the university buildings. The Rua Galeria de Paris area is the bar street after dark. Getting there: it is an 8-minute uphill walk from São Bento station, or a 5-minute walk from Aliados station on metro line D. The tower has no elevator and is not suitable for people with limited mobility.

Clérigos Church & Tower

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