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As the main religious building of the diocese, the Sé Catedral (the Cathedral See) presents itself as the gauge centre of aesthetic environments in successive transformation works. Those artistic solutions irradiate from here to its direct influence area.
In the long history of the Porto Cathedral, three stages stand out: in medieval times, the foundation, which granted it its architectural outline; in modern times, the transformation of the building, conditioned by the Catholic Reformation, makes it take on a coherent image where the interior arts – such as woodcarving, painting, plaster and others– are its main speech; the last one, dating from the 20th century, consisted of the controversial interference of the National Monuments, which intended to purge it from its Baroque ambience, to lead it to the formal purism of the period that delineated it.
The construction of the Cathedral started in the late 12th century, and carried on to the following. Its foundation cannot be dissociated from the conquest of Lisbon, in the same manner that one may not separate its shapes from the commercial relationships that the city had established with the region of Rochelle, where many of the roots of its influences seem to be found. Although the current highest part is a work of art from the early 17th century (Bishop D. Frei Gonçalo Morais), the original one had a chancel surrounded by an ambulatory, three radiant chapels and two apses. A highest part with niche, just like many others of the Limousin region. It had a prominent transept and the body of the cathedral was built upon three naves of five spans. Architectonically, it is the result of the symbiosis between Roman and Gothic solutions. These can still be seen in the use of broken ornamental imitations of arcades on a façade, in the polystyle pillars, in the pioneer use of the buttress, and the façade radial rose window. This façade was flanked by two towers, partly transformed in the 18th century, just like the whole of the façade. Dating from this founding period, the beautiful Gothic cloister with direct access to the church nave is also worthy of highlight.
The Chapter undertakes deep transformations, oriented by the architect António Pereira, in the 18th century, in a period of Vacant Seat (1717-1741). As a result of this expanded and coherent campaign, a building of medieval structure transformed itself into a clearly Baroque interior. On the inside, a new main altarpiece, brought to form in 1729, by Miguel Francisco da Silva, is placed. Its planning was ordered to Lisbon and it conveys the city of Porto the Baroque-joanino¬ (of the 18th century, time of the reign of king D. João I) or Roman-like vocabulary. New boxes of organs are made (1727-1728). These forms, which were more scenographic, can be understood when one compares the structure of the main altarpiece to the wooden altarpieces of the transept, designed only ten years ago (1719). With the exception of the highest part, the building was, once again, completely covered in architectonic elements made in plaster, which defines some sort of false architecture, within the medieval structure (Joaquim Jaime B. Ferreira-Alves). A luxuriant sacred interior was gaining shape and completing itself with the many golden carving altarpieces that met through the church naves, and of which only those of the transept survived.
In 1725, Nicolau Nasoni comes to Porto to cooperate in the transformation of the Sé, as a perspective painter, a position that he’ll maintain until 1731. Paintings on the sidewalls of the main altar and the sacristy still remain.
However, the works spread all the way to the exterior: the western façade is changed and the Sé is given a new façade facing North, the church porch or loggia, which conveys the building greater scenographic vision.
The Chapter also promotes construction works in the accesses to the Gothic cloister for external outbuildings and embellishes it with tile featuring themes of the Cântico dos Cânticos (Canticle of Canticles) drawn by António Vital Rifarto. The Chapter also renews its seat. The panelled ceiling in the conference room stands out with its ply panels of allegorical and moral themes, painted in 1719-20, by the Italian artist João Baptista Pachini.
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