Atlas Invites Guests To Explore Porto’s Secret House

Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal. Famous for its port wine and incredible history, it also is home to a lesser-known architectural mystery.

Built next to each other and appearing as if they are one seamless structure are the Carmo and Carmelitas Churches. The Carmelitas Church was built in the seventeenth century for Porto’s Carmelite nuns, while the Carmo Church was built in the eighteenth century for the city’s Carmelite monks.

The Carmelitas Church features Classical architecture with a gilded, ornate interior. The Carmo, however, features Rococo architecture and azulejo, a tile panel, featuring a scene of the original Carmelites from Mount Carmel, Israel.

Between the two structures is one of the narrowest homes in the world. Having been inhabited since the 1980s, the house is now open for tours.

Many have speculated about the reason for this inconspicuous and narrow house to exist. The general belief is that there was a law that stated churches could not be built sharing a wall or side by side, and so this narrow house was built in order to accommodate the existence of both churches.

The secret house is also thought to be the inspiration of J.K. Rowlings’ Number 12 Grimmauld Place, a setting in The Order of the Phoenix.

Take the Atlas Ocean Voyages’ “7-Night Bucket List Mediterranean” or “13-Night Connecting European and Caribbean Islands” cruises to experience Porto and its secret house.