Today, anyone arriving by train at São Bento Station is greeted by more than 20,000 tiles by Jorge Colaço. But for nearly four centuries, the land in the center of Porto belonged to a monastery of Benedictine nuns. The convent did not close until 1892, upon the death of the last nun, and was demolished that same year. The station that was built in its place celebrated its 110th anniversary on October 5, and it is from here that trains depart on the Douro Line—a journey that many consider one of the most beautiful in Europe.
From the temporary station to the 1916 inauguration
Trains reached the city center before the station building was completed. In 1896, the Urban Line began connecting Campanhã to a temporary station in São Bento, according to Infraestruturas de Portugal. The cornerstone of the permanent station was laid in 1900 by King Carlos I, according to Visit Portugal, and the project was entrusted to Porto architect José Marques da Silva.
For the lobby, painter Jorge Colaço created the tile panels between 1905 and 1908 that today define the station’s image. They were produced at the Royal Porcelain Factory of Sacavém and consist of more than 20,000 tiles. A frieze surrounding the atrium chronicles the evolution of transportation leading up to the arrival of the train, and the large panels depict episodes from Portuguese history, such as King João I’s entry into Porto, alongside scenes of work in the fields.
Before the Trains: The Monastery of São Bento da Avé-Maria
Construction of the Monastery of São Bento da Avé-Maria began in 1518, by order of King Manuel I, and the nuns moved there in 1536. With the abolition of religious orders in 1834, women’s convents were allowed to remain open until the death of the last nun, which in this case did not occur until 1892.
Few artifacts remain from the monastery. The museum houses one of the six surviving capitals from the cloister, a column base, a Cross of Christ, and an armillary sphere.
São Bento Today
Since 1997, the complex has been classified as a Property of Public Interest, a designation that extends beyond the building itself to include the tile panels, the metal station structure, and the tunnel entrance. It continues to function as a station: according to CP, commuter and regional trains depart from here for destinations such as Braga, Guimarães, Aveiro, and the Douro Line. The building also houses shops, a hotel, and restaurants.
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