Arco da Vila

Enter the Cidade Velha (Old Town) through the neoclassical Arco da Vila, built in 1812 by order of Bishop Francisco Gomes do Avelar, who oversaw the city's reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake. The tower above it is accessed from within the tourist office and inside there's a small exhibition on the building; from the top you can admire the views and storks that build their huge nests up here.