This square, in the heart of Porto’s Historic Center, pays homage to Infante D. Henrique – the most important figure from the beginning of the portuguese discoveries — who, according to tradition, was born nearby, in the so-called Casa do Infante, in 1394.

History

The land that currently constitutes the square, with a steep slope, was an integral part of the enclosure of the Convento de São Domingos, located in the neighboring Largo de São Domingos.

With the victory of Liberalism in the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834) and the consequent extinction of male religious orders, decreed in 1834, the land, located precisely in front of its new headquarters, the Palácio da Bolsa, ended up being acquired by the Association Commercial do Porto with the aim of urbanizing it. The opening of the streets Nova da Alfândega (1871-1875) and Mouzinho da Silveira (1875), with the already existing streets of Bolsa and Ferreira Borges completely delimited the space. The construction of highly prestigious buildings ended up giving the square a unique monumentality. The square’s yard ended up being handed over to the Porto City Council so that it could promote its beautification.

With the presence of King D. Carlos, in 1894 the ceremony was held to lay the first stone of the monument to Infante D. Henrique, designed by the sculptor Tomás Costa. The statue, cast in Paris, was inaugurated in 1900.