Rua das Flores
Roads and squares
The street called Rua de Santa Catarina das Flores was built in 1521 by order of King Manuel. This street, which was completed during a period of economic prosperity and urban expansion, attracted the city’s aristocracy who took up residence here and transformed it into one of the busiest commercial streets, to the detriment of Rua dos Mercadores, where trade began to falter thereafter. The street has maintained its original profile and currently boasts interesting civil architecture from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and one of Porto’s most emblematic baroque façades – the Church of Misericórdia (1749-1750), designed by Nicolau Nasoni. It is one of the buzziest streets in the Historical Centre.
