Alminhas da Ponte, Wayside shrine in Ribeira, Porto, Portugal
Alminhas da Ponte is a bronze bas-relief set into the riverbank wall of the Ribeira in Porto. Sculpted by José Joaquim Teixeira Lopes in 1897, it depicts the collapse of the Ponte das Barcas on 29 March 1809, when hundreds fleeing Marshal Soult's troops drowned in the Douro.
The sculpture was created in 1897 to commemorate a disaster from 1809 when a floating bridge collapsed and hundreds of people perished. This tragedy became a defining moment in Porto's past and left lasting marks on the city's collective memory.
The name Alminhas means "little souls", referring to the souls in purgatory for whom these 18th-century Portuguese shrines were built. At this one, people still leave lit candles and flowers in memory of the 29 March 1809 drowning. The relief is set into the Ribeira riverbank wall, so the offerings sit at street level beside the Douro.
The relief is set into the riverbank wall of the Ribeira waterfront, so it is seen from the street level of the Cais da Ribeira rather than from a building facade. Look for it low on the stonework near the Douro, where the riverside promenade passes; the spot is outdoors and open to passers-by at any hour.
Legend holds that on days when the Douro floods, the cry of Orlando Beirão Valente is heard at the shrine. The clerk crossed the Ponte das Barcas sixteen times carrying the elderly and children, and fell into the river on his seventeenth crossing.
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