From the Journal I kept while walking the Portuguese route from Lisbon.
Most pilgrims who walk the Portuguese Camino will start in Porto, where they obtain their pilgrim credentials at the Porto Cathedral (also known as the Sé do Porto). Few times in my life have I been in a place that so anchored everything surrounding it. The city of Porto was born on the banks of the Douro River, and the hillside section, or “Morro da Sé,” is the oldest, and—some would say—the most authentic part of the great city. During the Middle Ages, the large public square around the cathedral was where all the trade and commerce were conducted. The word “Sé” refers to the governing center, or “seat,” of the district where the church is located. The Vatican is therefore located at the Holy See in Rome, or the “holy chair,” designating an ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The Sé Cathedral’s construction began in the twelfth century, and the cathedral was built in the prevailing Romanesque style; however, after many centuries of renovations and additions, it is a mix of architectural styles. The façade of the Sé do Porto is flanked by two monumental square towers—crowned with Baroque cupolas—that command the space below and give the structure the look of a fortified castle. A long stone stairway leads to the entrance and affords a panoramic view of the city below. Looking up at the façade, my eyes were drawn to the mandala-like Romanesque rose window that gazed out at me like a giant Cyclops from under the crenellated arch between the two towers. It was as if I were drawn toward the entrance of the cathedral by a magnetic force.
While the admission to the Sé Cathedral was free, there was a two euro fee to get into the Sacred Art Museum and the magnificent Gothic cloisters attached to the church.
