Sundial

Category: Culture and Entertainment > Artwork

District: Porto > Vila do Conde > Vila do Conde > Bairro Piscatório

Location:

The Sundial is located in the Fishing District of Vila do Conde, right in Praça D. João II. This area, near Cais dos Assentos, has an intrinsic connection to the Ave River estuary and the local maritime tradition, offering an environment where one can feel the riverside breeze and observe the surrounding landscape.

A Tribute to the Sea:

This remarkable 20-meter-high sculpture is a striking tribute to Vila do Conde's deep connection to the sea and its history of navigation. Created by sculptor José Rodrigues and inaugurated in 2001, the work pays homage to the sailors, caulkers, and shipwrights who, from this town, played a crucial role in expanding the world's horizons.

Symbols of Time and the Universe:

The monument evokes the ingenious way our ancestors, from fishermen to rural workers, determined the hours solely by the sun's position, without any technological assistance. The piece incorporates several symbolic elements: spheres that allude to the vastness of the sidereal universe, patterns designed on the pavement that represent the Portuguese presence on five continents, and water, which flows like the blood of the sailors who explored the oceans in caravels and galleons, symbolizing life and the fluidity of the great voyages.

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