Rabelo boat moored on the River Douro waterfront Ribeira Porto Portugal is a photograph by James Brunker which was uploaded on May 31st, 2023.
Rabelo boat moored on the River Douro waterfront Ribeira Porto Portugal
One of Porto's famous rabelo boats moored on the River Douro waterfront in the city's historic La Ribeira district. The colourful old buildings and... more
Title
Rabelo boat moored on the River Douro waterfront Ribeira Porto Portugal
Artist
James Brunker
Medium
Photograph
Description
One of Porto's famous rabelo boats moored on the River Douro waterfront in the city's historic La Ribeira district. The colourful old buildings and orange tiled roofs in the background are typical of the district, which is situated on the steep hillsides on the northern side of the River Douro and full of quaint narrow steets and picturesque houses. It is part of the Historic Centre of Oporto registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The flat-bottomed wooden rabelo boats were once the main way of transporting people and goods (especially the port wine for which the Douro Region is famous) along the River Douro. The flat bottom and shallow draught were necessary to navigate the then often shallow and fast-flowing waters of the upper Douro in particular. The name rabelo ("little tail") refers to the long wooden projection from the rear of the boat which is used to steer it. Construction of dams and locks on the river and a railway alongside it mean the boats are no longer used in the traditional way, though some can still be seen in Porto and along the river.
Photograph © James Brunker. Reproduction, publication, transmission or use in any form without written permission prohibited.
Uploaded
May 31st, 2023
