Carlos Alberto Square, Square in Cedofeita, Porto, Portugal
Praça de Carlos Alberto is a small square in the Cedofeita area of Porto, sitting at the entrance of Rua da Cedofeita. It is lined with low buildings, has a few trees and benches arranged across its open surface, and an underground car park built beneath it.
The square was originally known as Largo dos Ferradores, a stop along old routes leading out of Porto where travelers and workers gathered. It later took the name of King Carlo Alberto of Piedmont-Sardinia, who settled here after abdicating in 1849 and stayed at the Palacete dos Viscondes de Balsemão, which still stands on the square.
The square was once known as Feira das Caixas, meaning Box Fair, a name that came from carpenters who made chests for emigrants heading to Brazil. Today, the space is used as a daily passage point, with people stopping at small cafes or sitting on benches between errands.
The square sits within walking distance of Porto's historic neighborhoods and works well as a starting point for exploring Cedofeita and its side streets. Visitors arriving by car will find a public parking garage directly beneath the square.
The square holds a monument to the soldiers who died in the First World War, inaugurated in 1928 and made by sculptor Henrique Moreira. It is one of the few such memorials in Porto placed not in a formal park or institution but in an ordinary neighborhood square used by people every day.
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