Apexphotos Landscape Collection

Dam on the Douro River, Portugal_bw

Douro, Portugal - 11 April 2014

Dam and red boat on the Douro River of Portugal.

The scenic Douro Valley, which runs from the Atlantic coast at Porto all the way into Central Spain, was the first designated wine region in the world. Its vinhateiro (winegrowing) area, devoted to vineyards from Roman times, has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The pretty rolling hills by the Douro river are covered by terraced vineyards in whitewashed quintas (wine estates); the wine, Muscatel, Port and Madeira they produce was traditionally shipped down the river to Porto - and the world beyond - by traditional flat-bottomed rabelo boats.

During the 1950s and 60s, however, a series of locks and dams - including thois one - was constructed on the river to improve navigability. Paradoxically, this stopped the traditional transport of wine down the river by these old boats. This is now done, rather less glamorously, by tankers. Oh dear.

© Jon Bower at Apexphotos

Four evangelists in stained glass

From the nave of St Helen's Church, an image of the four evangelists; note their emblems - the bull, eagle, book and lion - are all included.

A Christian place of worship has been at this location at the confluence of the Thames and Ock rivers, since the year 995. In fact, a Saxon Minster may have been here since the 7th Century.

The Church is named after St Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine, who made Christianity the official state religion of Rome. It is reputed that she visited the Holy Land in her old age and found fragments of the cross.

© Jon Bower at Apexphotos

Terraced vineyards by the Douro River, Portugal

Douro Valley, Portugal - 11 April 2017
The scenic Douro Valley, which runs from the Atlantic coast at Porto all the way into Central Spain, was the first designated wine region in the world. Its vinhateiro (winegrowing) area, devoted to vineyards from Roman times, has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The pretty rolling hills by the Douro river are covered by terraced vineyards in whitewashed quintas (wine estates); these are often shared by pretty olive and almond groves. In fact, the whole valley is an area of great natural beauty, welcoming climate and serenity.

© Jon Bower at Apexphotos