The Palácio da Bolsa began to be built in October 1842 as a result of the closure of the Casa da Bolsa do Comércio, which temporarily forced Porto's merchants to discuss their business in Rua dos Ingleses, in the open air. With a mixture of architectural styles, the building shows in all its splendour traces of 19th century neoclassical, Tuscan architecture, as well as English neo-Palladian.

It is now used for the city's most diverse cultural, social and political events.