Fontaínhas
Steep riverside neighborhood of old washhouses and a bronze memorial to the women who once hauled firewood uphill.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to Fontaínhas in Porto centers on the bronze statue of Maria, unveiled in 2020 to honor the women who spent nearly a century carrying firewood up a punishing riverside slope. It follows the boatloads of scrubby carqueja that once fed Porto's bakery ovens, the women, often barefoot or pregnant, who hauled it for a coin and a half a load, and the street later renamed in their honor. Stand at the top of the climb where they once paused to catch their breath.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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