Welcome to Avenida dos Aliados: Porto’s heart, grand stage, and living room.

Aliados holds many secrets. Too many to list here. That’s why we invite you to join us on the Porto Beginners Guide Tour, where we uncover them all. But for now, here’s a glimpse into what makes this avenue more than just a street.

Avenida dos Aliados

In 2005, renowned local architects and Pritzker Prize winners Siza Vieira and Souto de Moura led the requalification of Avenida dos Aliados. Utilizing the massive crater created by Metro do Porto, they transformed a once-beautiful garden into a sleek, functional plaza.

Some say it was a tragedy. Others say it was necessary. Either way, we must admit that maintaining the current structure is easier and more cost-effective than “burning” thousands of euros restoring the destroyed gardens after each celebration. And Porto does love a good party!

The Stage for Porto’s Biggest Moments

Avenida dos Aliados is the city’s go-to venue for major events—welcoming the Pope, the Queen of England, hosting New Year’s Eve and the legendary São João festival, celebrating FC Porto’s victories, or even serving as an enduro bike paddock.

The avenue easily adapts to all occasions, with ample space for concerts, fireworks, and a towering Christmas tree. And when the party’s over? It resets, ready for the next act.

A Crash Course in Aliados

Locals will tell you that Aliados begins at Palácio das Cardosas (home to Hotel Intercontinental) and ends at Porto’s City Hall. In reality, it comprises two squares: Praça da Liberdade to the south, where D. Pedro IV stands tall, and Praça General Humberto Delgado to the north, in front of City Hall.

Within just 100 meters (330 feet) from City Hall’s doors, you’ll find nine streets, an avenue, and a square. Not bad for a single stretch of road!

Avenida dos Aliados (Allies Avenue) is named after the victory of the Allied Nations in World War I, in which Portugal fought on the winning side.

The avenue’s design is credited to architect and urban planner Barry Parker, whose plan was implemented in 1916, requiring the demolition of an entire neighborhood—Laranjal—along with its streets and the old Town Hall (Paços do Concelho).

After the demolition, Marques da Silva, the architect behind São Bento Train Station, designed two buildings defining the avenue’s southern limit:

• On the left, the headquarters of the Nacional Insurance Company (1);
• On the right, Joaquim Emílio Pinto Leite Bank (11), who also happens to be the author of the Jornal de Notícias (a national newspaper) building (8), a few meters up the street.

And that was just the beginning.

Power, Prestige, and… a Textile Factory in Aliados Avenue?

Júlio de Brito also contributed to the avenue’s transformation, designing two buildings that define its northern end:

• On the left, a building for Garantia Insurance Company (4), today Axa;
• On the right, another for Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos de Fafe (7).

Aliados quickly became Porto’s financial center, making it the ideal location for banks, insurance companies, and newspaper offices. But why was a textile company there?

Back in 1926, Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos de Fafe was no ordinary textile business. It ran a kindergarten for 200 children, a nursery, and a primary school in the small village of Fafe. This highlights not only their economic power but also the strength of the textile industry in northern Portugal.

Aliados Then vs. Now

Once upon a time, Aliados was Porto’s economic epicenter. Today, that title belongs to the Boavista area. But some institutions have endured. One of the surviving institutions is Caixa Geral de Depósitos (9).

Caixa Geral de Depósitos (9), Portugal’s state-owned bank, was designed by Pardal Monteiro and completed in 1932. It still operates in the same location and houses the financial group’s art gallery, Culturgest, in a stunning room that alone is worth a visit.

Down the street, Montepio Geral (10), another bank, also hosts free art exhibits—proof that finance and culture can share the same space.

Across the street, on the corners of Rua Elísio de Melo, is the former headquarters of the Comércio do Porto newspaper (3), designed by Rogério de Azevedo. On the opposite corner, Café Guarany (2), by the same architect, features a striking bas-relief by Henrique Moreira.

Monuments, Sculptures, and a Few Hidden Gems

Walk Aliados, and you’ll see more than just buildings. In the central part of Avenida dos Aliados, starting on the south side, we find three sculptures:

• A Juventude (Youth), also known as Naked Girl (14), sits on a column with water flowing from four masks representing the Four Seasons;
• Abundância (Abundance), also called The Boys (13), was originally golden, not green—a playful nod to Porto’s wine tradition;
• Almeida Garrett (12), the 19th-century novelist, stands guard in front of City Hall.

The first two sculptures were created by Henrique Moreira, while the third was crafted by Salvador Barata Feyo.

Porto’s City Hall

Porto’s Town Hall took 35 years and two architects—Correia da Silva and Carlos Ramos—to complete. Ramos also designed the neighboring Palácio dos Correios (6), an extension of municipal services.

Visitors can enter the City Hall’s entrance hall to admire the romantic-style ceiling paintings depicting the Lady of Vandoma, Porto’s patroness. More sculptures? Of course! Moreira also sculpted the statues flanking the stairway, symbolizing Industry and Art, while Sousa Caldas designed six of the caryatids adorning the façade. Look up, and you’ll spot the Genius of Independence, a winged figure clutching a broken chain and a flag, perched atop the Nacional Insurance Company building (1).

Avenida dos Aliados: Always Evolving

Avenida dos Aliados has been adapted to the needs of its citizens. In the past, it was romantic and colorful; today, it is open to the world and a stage for countless events.

The last redesign, shaped by two Pritzker Prize winners, brought new possibilities. Some miss the gardens. Some say the old ways were better. But nostalgia is tricky. Because before Aliados became what it is today, it destroyed something else:

• Praça de D. Pedro and its amazing limestone pavement;
• Hotel Francoforte;
• The magnificent Café Chaves.

Change is constant, and so is Aliados. It adapts, evolves, and remains relevant… because that’s what great cities do. And Porto? Porto knows how to put on a show. If you’d like to dive deeper into Avenida dos Aliados, join us on a walking tour of Porto!

Ricardo Brochado, founder of City Tailors, beautifully captures the essence of Avenida dos Aliados in this blog post, now featured on the Taste Porto blog as part of the fusion between City Tailors and Taste Porto.