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Casa do Infante

The Casa do Infante occupies the building of the old Porto customs house, which King Afonso IV had built in 1325. The Casa da Moeda (the mint) also operated there for centuries. A popular tradition holds that Prince Henry the Navigator was born on this spot in 1394, although it rests on a record of baptism expenses and is not a proven fact. Until the 19th century the customs house taxed the goods that arrived. In the 15th century John I added a front with a doorway and a niche with the Virgin, protector of customs houses. In the 17th century the two original towers were cut back. Excavations in the 1990s brought to light Roman remains, including Late Empire mosaics, which are preserved in situ within the visit. Today it is a municipal museum with models and multimedia resources on the history of the city from Roman times. The Gabinete do Tempo, opened in 2020, hosts exhibitions on episodes of Porto's history. It is on Rua da Alfândega, next to Ribeira.

Things to do at Casa do Infante: 3 missions

• Explore the interactive model of medieval PortoUse the interactive model on the tour to find the customs house, the Ribeira and the line of the medieval wall.
• Look at the Roman mosaics preserved in situDuring the tour, go down to the archaeological area and find the remains of Late Empire mosaics that were left where they were discovered.
• Look for the doorway and niche on the façadeFrom the street, find the front with the 15th-century doorway and the niche with the image of the Virgin, protector of customs houses.

Near Casa do Infante

Source: Web oficial - Museu do Porto