Discover Torre dos Clérigos in Porto: history, climbing the tower and the panoramic view over the city.
Torre dos Clérigos was designed by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni and completed in 1763, reaching 75 metres — the tallest tower in Portugal at the time. Climbing its 225 steps rewards you with a 360° view over the terracotta rooftops of Porto, the Douro River and the Atlantic horizon on clear days. The tower is open daily; tickets cost around €6 and include access to the church below.
In July 1917, two Spanish acrobats — father and son, José and Miguel Puertollano — climbed Torre dos Clérigos without any safety ropes. Around 150,000 people gathered in the streets to watch. Once at the top, the pair calmly had tea with Petit Beurre Invicta biscuits, a brand-new product, and threw advertising flyers down to the crowd. The whole feat was filmed by Raul de Caldevilla: the short film "Um Chá nas Nuvens" (1917) is classified as Portugal's first advertising film.