Praça da Ribeira, A vibrant palette of culture by the river
Ribeira
4.2
Introduction
Liberal Square is a square located in the historic center of Porto, Portugal, and is part of a World Heritage Site. It is located in the historic and cultural area of the riverside and belongs to the St. Nicholas district. Since the Middle Ages, the Liberal district has been the center of commercial and manufacturing activities, and there have been many shops around the square selling fish, bread, meat, and other goods. In 1491, a fire destroyed the buildings around the square, and the rebuilt houses had arcades on the ground floor and a paved stone floor on the square. In the mid-18th century, Porto needed to increase the flow of people and goods, so a new street, St. John Street, was opened to connect Liberal and the upper city, which promoted the development of the square itself. The project was implemented by British Consul John Whitehead from 1776 to 1782. The east, west, and north sides of the square are surrounded by arcaded buildings, and the south side facing the Douro River is surrounded by medieval walls. In 1821, the walls were demolished, and the square opened up to the river. There is a three-story tall fountain on the north side of the square, built in the 1880s, decorated with the Portuguese coat of arms and topped with a statue of St. John the Baptist. In addition, there is a modern sculpture by Jose Rodriguez on the square. 
Next to it are bars and restaurants
