Beyond this stone facade lies a history far older than the Tribunal das Varas Criminais do Porto itself. This courthouse wasn’t always a place of justice. It started as something quite different.
Let’s step back to 1582. The diocese of Porto was a single parish. It was Santa Maria da Sé. For pastoral reasons it was split into four. These became Santa Maria da Sé, Nossa Senhora de Victória, São Nicolau, and São João Batista de Belomonte.
The parish of São João Batista de Belomonte was short-lived. Only nine years later the bishop D. Jerónimo de Meneses extinguished it. He divided its area between Victória and São Nicolau. The church was given to the barefoot friars of Saint Augustine.
These friars soon began building their convent. They dedicated it to São João de São Facundo. Consequently, the convent was called São João-o-Novo. This later simplified to São João Novo.
Fast forward to 1832. The convent was abandoned. The Tribunal das Varas Criminais do Porto was installed here. It still carries the old convent’s name.
The friars considered the original church unsuitable. They demolished it. A new church was built on the same site. It stands next to the Tribunal das Varas Criminais do Porto even today.
Now you know a secret about this place. This Tribunal das Varas Criminais do Porto has a layered past. It involves parishes, friars, and a change of purpose. Justice echoes within walls that once housed a convent. The adjacent church is a reminder of its origins.
The Tribunal da Comarca do Porto. It was once installed in the old Convent of São João Novo. It was sometimes called the Tribunal de São João Novo. This Tribunal das Varas Criminais do Porto was a court of first instance. Its jurisdiction extended throughout the judicial district. The district’s boundaries were defined by law.
A decree in 1832 shaped its structure. It had a judge, jurors, a deputy prosecutor, clerks, and bailiffs. The government appointed the judge. He was competent in all cases. He also judged appeals against ecclesiastical authorities. Judges replaced magistrates who were removed.
Decrees in 1841 and 1928 further defined its powers. By 1928, the Porto district had specialized courts. These included civil, commercial, and criminal divisions.
The Tribunal das Varas Criminais do Porto. From convent to courthouse, it embodies Porto’s evolving story. A story where faith and justice intertwine.