Our story
Ancient, very noble, always loyal and unbeaten
The rehabilitation of this building, which is over 300 years old, respected the fundamental traits of its identity, keeping its soul intact. The original granite is ubiquitous, praised as a noble material that is exposed without plaster. A song of water, coming from the interior of the earth, calls us to the heart of this building. On the upper terrace, a fountain emanates water from the city's natural springs, which today run underground, punctuating the tranquility with the cadence of its timeless sound. Next to it, there is a well-kept garden and a swimming pool that reflects the blue. The surrounding atmosphere invites you to enjoy the panoramic view over the Douro, in an environment that gives us back the energy to discover the city and its cultural pulse.
At the end of the 14th century, the construction of the Fernandina wall was completed, which replaced the old high-medieval fence, so called because it was completed during the reign of D. Fernando. The Porta de Miragaia or Porta Nova, once located at the east end of the current Customs building, was one of the openings in the wall. In the 16th century, with the growth of the commercial dynamics of this riverside front of the city, the Porta de Miragaia would see its name changed to Porta Nobre, since it was the privileged access of the highest figures of the clergy or royalty that disembarked in the city.
