There are a number of interesting priceless historic ecclesiastical artifacts to be seen in the treasure room of Porto's Cathedral.

Porto's Cathedral's gold and silver treasures range from crowns to a model of a lamb

The Portuguese empire spread around the world and included a number of countries in South America that had rich sources of silver and gold. Every year treasure ships in the New World would be loaded with gold and silver ore and shipped back to Portugal. A lot of this newfound wealth would be given to the church.

A lot of the items you see In the Cathedral Treasury have been made using the precious metals mined by local South American native slave labour. Many died trying to get the metal out of the ground using primitive tools and working in horrendously dangerous conditions. But saying that you have to admire the sheer skill of the craftsman who can turn a lump of metal into a work of art.

The work on display ranges from very decorative ornate altar crucifix centre pieces, crowns and bowls to hold the bread of Christ during masses, plaques that depict scenes from the Bible to models of lambs. The price of your ticket to walk around the cloisters includes a visit to the cathedral's treasury room.

There are richly embroidered priests gowns in the treasure room of the Cathedral of Porto

The Portuguese were one of the 1st European nations to manufacture and make silk clothing. They had a monopoly of trade with China until it was broken by the British and other trading nations. Priest's and Bishop's ceremonial gowns were often made of silk and embroidered with gold and silver braid.

As well as works of art, priceless religious objects and gowns, the Cathedral's Treasury Room also has a collection of very early leather bound printed Bibles and handmade manuscripts. Some of these books were among the first things ever printed.

The treasure room in the Cathedral also contains some early leather bound printed bibles.

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