Clérigos Tower is one of the easiest landmarks to recognize in Porto. It rises above the rooftops of the historic center, appears unexpectedly at the end of steep streets and, for centuries, stood over a city far lower than the one surrounding it today. Most visitors now make the climb for the view: 225 steps lead to the top. But stopping at the panorama misses much of the story. The tower is only the final piece of a complex created for a religious brotherhood and shaped by an Italian artist who would leave a lasting mark on Porto.
The tower came after the church
The story begins with the Irmandade dos Clérigos, founded in 1707 through the union of religious brotherhoods whose responsibilities included supporting members of the clergy through illness, poverty and death.
After receiving land on the old Campo do Olival, the brotherhood decided to build a church of its own. Nicolau Nasoni's design was approved in December 1731, and construction began in April the following year.
The church deserves more attention than it usually gets. According to the Irmandade itself, it was the first church in Portugal built with an oval floor plan. A gallery runs around the entire nave, creating unusual viewpoints over the interior, while a series of windows brings in a surprising amount of light for a Baroque church.
The great bell tower came later. Nasoni presented its design in 1753; construction started the following year and was completed in July 1763, when the iron cross was placed at the top and the image of Saint Paul above the entrance.
Nicolau Nasoni: from Tuscany to Porto
Nicolau Nasoni was born in 1691 in San Giovanni Valdarno, Tuscany. Before reaching Portugal, he also worked in Malta, where much of his early career focused on decorative and perspective painting.
He arrived in Porto in 1725, aged 34, after being invited to work at the Cathedral. His first projects in the city were indeed painted decorations, but over the following years Nasoni moved increasingly toward architecture.
Clérigos became a turning point. What followed was a relationship with Porto lasting almost half a century. Nasoni worked on churches, palaces and estates across northern Portugal and helped shape a local Baroque language built around granite, curves, movement and almost theatrical façades — a style still recognizable in several parts of central Porto.
49 bells above the city
From street level, the height tends to attract all the attention. Inside, however, is also a 49-bell carillon weighing more than 9.9 tonnes in total. The tower rises through six levels to around 75 meters. Those 225 steps therefore climb through a real bell tower, rather than a viewpoint created purely for visitors.
A tower that guided ships and sent messages across the city
Before Porto grew around it, the tower could be seen from a remarkable distance. Its elevated position and unmistakable silhouette made Clérigos a useful navigational landmark: pilots approaching the mouth of the Douro could use it together with other features of the landscape to help line up the route into the river.
It was not a lighthouse in the technical sense, but from the sea it could perform a similar visual role — a tall, fixed and easily recognizable point above Porto's skyline.
The tower later acquired another remarkably practical purpose. For a time, it acted as a kind of commercial telegraph. When the steamer of the Mala Real Inglesa signalled that it was approaching the Douro bar, the information reached Porto's Commercial Association and was then passed to the Irmandade dos Clérigos. A pole carrying two flags was raised at the top of the tower.
Visible across the city, the signal told Porto's merchants that the ship carrying commercial correspondence, orders and bills of exchange from England was on its way in. Long before phones or instant messages, looking toward Clérigos could reveal that it was time to prepare for new business.
225 steps and a city that changes on the way up
The climb is not particularly long, although the spaces narrow considerably near the top and people going up and down can meet on the same staircases. There is no lift to the panoramic level.
The ascent is also where the tower's position begins to make sense. Clérigos stands on one of the higher points of the historic center, and from the top Porto's geography becomes much easier to read: the dense old city below, the Douro and Vila Nova de Gaia beyond it, newer neighborhoods further out and, on clear days, the direction of the Atlantic.
There is no single “best view”. The walkway circles the tower, revealing different parts of the city from each side. The Cathedral, São Bento, Palácio de Cristal and the line of the river suddenly make much more sense in relation to one another.
Tower + Museum
For a first visit, this is the most complete option: it includes the climb up Clérigos Tower and access to the museum.
The standard official ticket currently costs €10. Regular opening hours are 9:00 AM–7:00 PM, with last admission 30 minutes before closing.
Book Tower + Museum
Nasoni died poor. He may still be beneath the church
Nasoni's relationship with Clérigos did not end when construction was finished. In 1743, the architect joined the same brotherhood he had been working for. When he died on August 30, 1773, the Irmandade assisted him as a poor man.
Historical records indicate that he was buried at Clérigos, probably beneath the main altar. For a long time, however, the exact location of his remains was unknown.
During renovation work in 2014, an electrician discovered a small crypt beneath the church. It contained the remains of around 26 people. Among twelve adult male skeletons, four matched the characteristics that could potentially correspond to Nasoni. It is therefore impossible to identify his remains with certainty, but the architect was buried inside the building that became his most famous work.
In 1917, two acrobats climbed the tower to sell biscuits
More than 150 years after its construction, Clérigos Tower became the setting for a very different kind of story.
In 1917, Galician acrobats known as the Puertollano climbed the outside of the tower as part of an extraordinary advertising campaign devised by Raul de Caldevilla. Once they reached the top, they threw promotional leaflets over the city; one of the campaign actions was also associated with the Petit Beurre biscuits produced by Fábrica Invicta.
The stunt was filmed. The surviving short film, known as “Um Chá nas Nuvens” or “Escalada à Torre dos Clérigos”, runs for a little over nine minutes and is preserved by the Cinemateca Portuguesa.
Rather than simply calling it “Portugal's first advertisement”, it is more accurate to see the episode as one of the country's earliest documented examples of a promotional campaign combining a public stunt, cinema, newspapers, posters and other advertising actions. For 1917, it was remarkably modern.
Clérigos Tower at night
During certain periods of the year, the tower can also be climbed after sunset, with Porto illuminated below.
The evening ticket is for the Tower only. The usual time slot is 7:00 PM–11:00 PM, although nighttime opening is available only on selected dates and during certain periods of the year.
Book the evening visit
More than the tower: the church is worth seeing too
It is easy to arrive at Clérigos thinking only about the 225 steps. The church, however, is a fundamental part of Nasoni's design and makes the rest of the complex much easier to understand.
The oval plan, the gallery circling the nave, the light entering through numerous windows and the contrast between granite, marble and gilded woodwork create a space very different from the rectangular layout usually expected inside a church.
Two historic Iberian pipe organs stand on either side of the main chapel. They are still played, and the church normally hosts a free organ concert of around half an hour at approximately 12:00 PM each day, subject to capacity. For anyone nearby at lunchtime, it is an unusual chance to experience the church as a living space rather than simply a monument.
Spiritus: seeing the same church in a completely different way
In the evening, Igreja dos Clérigos can become something entirely different. Spiritus is a multimedia show created by the Irmandade dos Clérigos together with creative studio OCUBO. Light, music and 360-degree projections use the walls, altar and Baroque architecture of the church itself as part of the performance.
The project draws on the poetic world of Fernando Pessoa and takes “Afinal, a melhor maneira de viajar é sentir”, by Álvaro de Campos, as its starting point. The poem is not simply recited or acted out; instead, it inspires an experience of around 30 minutes built around light, sound and the perception of space.
It does not replace a daytime visit. In many ways, it does the opposite: during the day the architecture is observed; during Spiritus, the architecture becomes part of the show.
Spiritus
An immersive experience lasting around 30 minutes inside Igreja dos Clérigos, combining 360-degree projections, light and music.
Performance times vary with the program, so it is best to check the available sessions for the date of the visit.
Book Spiritus
Before climbing: four useful things to know
225 steps, no lift
The climb to the top is entirely on foot. The final sections are narrow, and the tower is not suitable for visitors with limited mobility.
Bags and backpacks
For security reasons, backpacks, suitcases and bags are not allowed inside the Tower and Museum. A secure area is available for storing belongings during the visit.
When to go
Early morning is generally the most comfortable time for a quieter experience on the panoramic platform. For an evening visit, it is important to check whether nighttime opening is available on the chosen date.
Where it is
The entrance is on Rua de São Filipe de Nery, a short walk from Livraria Lello, Igreja do Carmo and the Galerias de Paris area.
Frequently asked questions about Clérigos Tower
How many steps are there in Clérigos Tower?
The visitor route to the top includes 225 steps. There is no lift to the panoramic platform.
How tall is Clérigos Tower?
Clérigos Tower rises to around 75 meters and is divided into six levels.
How much does it cost to visit Clérigos Tower?
At the time of writing, the standard daytime ticket costs €10 and includes the Tower and Museum. An evening Tower ticket is also available when nighttime opening is in operation. Prices and conditions may change.
Was Clérigos Tower used as a lighthouse?
Not in the technical sense. Its height and position made it an important visual landmark for pilots and ships approaching the mouth of the Douro, where it could be used as part of the navigation into the river.
Is Clérigos Tower open at night?
On selected dates, yes. Evening opening is normally scheduled from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM during certain periods of the year. Availability should be checked for the specific date of the visit.
What is Spiritus at Clérigos?
Spiritus is an immersive multimedia show lasting around 30 minutes inside Igreja dos Clérigos. It combines 360-degree projections, light and music and is inspired by the poetic world of Álvaro de Campos.
Can the church be visited without climbing the tower?
Yes. The church, museum and tower are different parts of the Clérigos complex, so visiting the church does not require climbing the tower.
Discover Clérigos with a local guide
Clérigos is one of the stops on PortoScape's free walking tour. At the foot of the tower, Nasoni's story becomes part of a wider look at the streets, churches and changes that shaped central Porto.
Book the free walking tour
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