In Praça do Infante D. Henrique, just a few steps from the Palácio da Bolsa, stands a 19th-century iron-and-glass building. It is the Ferreira Borges Market, one of the most important examples of iron architecture in Porto, according to the Porto Tourism Association. It was designed to sell fresh produce, but history took it in a different direction: today, it is home to the Hard Club.
A Market in Search of a Purpose
The idea arose in 1882: to give Porto a new market to replace the one in Ribeira, which was in poor condition. The public bidding process opened in 1885 and was won by Companhia Aliança, known as Fundição de Massarelos, which manufactured all the iron components. The project was designed by architect João Carlos Machado, and construction was completed on May 17, 1888, according to the architectural heritage inventory (SIPA).
However, once it was completed, it was rarely used for selling goods. By 1900, discussions were already underway about what to do with it, and in 1904, it was even proposed that it house a municipal museum or a colonial museum. None of these ideas came to fruition.
In the 20th century, it took on a new life: according to the market’s informational plaque, between 1939 and the late 1970s, it served as a fruit wholesale market. After that, it began hosting cultural events, and in 1983, it was restored by the same company that had built it, with support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Shortly before that, in 1982, it had been designated a Property of Public Interest.
Columns that also channel rainwater
The building rests on a granite base that follows the slope of the land, and the main façade features a double staircase. Inside, there are three naves—the middle one being narrower—and a glass roof. The columns supporting the roof have Corinthian capitals, and some hold a secret: rainwater flows down through them.
From fruit market to the Hard Club
The Hard Club was founded in 1997 on the Vila Nova de Gaia waterfront, where it operated for nine years until it closed at the end of 2006. In 2008, it won the Porto City Council’s bid to occupy the Ferreira Borges Market, and the renovation project won the National Creative Industries Award.
The doors opened in September 2010. From the outside, the building remained unchanged. Inside, it gained two soundproofed rooms: according to the Hard Club, the larger one holds 850 people standing and the smaller one 350. There is also a restaurant on the upper floor, inspired by Porto’s beer halls, and a ground floor with free admission and an acoustic stage.
If you’re in the area, be sure to also check out the neighboring Palácio da Bolsa.
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