Fodor's Expert Review Igreja de São Francisco

During the last days of Porto's siege by the absolutist army (the miguelistas) in July 1842, there was gunfire by the nearby Convent of of St. Francis. These shootings caused a fire that destroyed most parts of the convent, sparing only this church. Today the church is the most prominent Gothic monument in Porto. It's a rather undistinguished, late-14th-century building on the outside, but inside is an astounding interior: gilded carving—added in the mid-18th century—runs up the pillars, over the altar, and across the ceiling. An adjacent museum (Museu de Arte Sacra) houses furnishings from the Franciscan convent. A guided tour (call the day before) includes a visit to the church, museum, and catacombs.