How Porto did well: The successful restructuring of the Bolhão market
Porto's Bolhão market is one of the city's main tourist attractions, not only for its excellent products but also for its traders who tell anecdotes of the city and happily hand down the most authentic recipes of the Portuense culinary tradition.
The structure dates back to the first half of the 20th century, and since the 1990s the need for a major renovation had become apparent in the public debate.
There was a time when the municipal council leading Porto wanted to tear down the structure and build yet another shopping centre.
The outcry was general.
"It is Mayor Rui Moreira who chose to preserve the original form. And he managed it' recalls Francisca Carneiro Fernandes, a member of the board of directors of Go Porto, the public company that manages the market.**
The work was comprehensive and lasted four years from 2019 to 2022, for a total cost of 28 million euros, of which 22 million euros was financed by the European Union and 6 million euros came from public funding.
'In the morning alone of re-opening day the market received around 20,000 visitors. People were eager to see how it had been transformed, increasing comfort and efficiency without sacrificing the historical characteristics of the market.
The big challenge today is to preserve the market's identity:** 'These days it is hard to keep the balance between the nature of the fresh produce market and the market as a whole; yet this balance must be maintained if we are to preserve the market's essence and its history. As it is also a strong attraction for tourists who have different demands, they want something ready-made and processed to eat. The people, the workers of Bolhão', Francisca concludes, 'are the soul of this place, the true beating heart of the market'.
The fact remains that the renovation has not erased the architectural and cultural identity of the place. Here we still breathe the most authentic air of the city, hear the truest language spoken and the culinary recipes are all worth noting.
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