New Customs

Category: Civil Architecture > Customs House

District: Porto > Porto > Porto > Centro Histórico

Location

The Alfândega Nova (New Customs House) is located on the right bank of the Douro River, in the parish of Miragaia, Porto.

Construction Date

The building began to be built in 1859, with its first core being inaugurated in 1869. The complete work was finished ten years later, in 1879.

Architecture

The project was designed by the French architect Jean-François Colson. The Alfândega was built on a platform on the pier, replacing the old beach of Miragaia.

Important Infrastructures

The building's main objective was the movement of goods, with warehouses, railways, cranes and platforms to facilitate transport. In 1888, it was connected to Campanhã Station by a railway branch, facilitating the transport of goods.

Urban Impact

The construction of the Alfândega and its infrastructure brought great urban and landscape changes to Porto in the 19th century.

Rehabilitation and Current Use

In the 1990s, the building was restored and requalified, under the direction of the architect Eduardo Souto de Moura. Currently, it houses a Congress Center and the Museum of Transport and Communications, managed by the Associação Museu de Transportes e Comunicações (AMTC).

Size and Design

The Alfândega Nova covers an area of 36,000 square meters and is divided into three large bodies. The layout of its facades clearly reflects the different functions that the building had.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfândega_Nova_(Porto)

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt