Faro is the capital of the Algarve region, in the south of Portugal. The city’s neoclassical Arco da Vila is located on the site of a door that was part of the original Moorish walls. The monumental arch leads to the old city, with its cobbled streets. Nearby is the Sé de Faro, built in the 13th century. The Municipal Museum,
in a 16th century convent, it displays prehistoric and medieval artifacts, as well as sacred art.

The 17th and 18th centuries are a period of expansion for Faro, which was surrounded by a new belt of walls during the War of Restoration (1640 – 1668), which encompassed the built-up area and cultural land, in a vast semicircle facing the Ria Formosa.

On November 1, 1755,
the Algarve is ruined by a great earthquake which, due to its intensity, also caused damage in other cities in the country, especially in Lisbon.

The city of Faro suffered widespread damage to the ecclesiastical heritage, from churches and convents to the Episcopal Palace itself. The walls, the castle with its towers and bastions, the barracks,
the guards, warehouses, the customs building, the jail and convents of S. Francisco and Santa Clara were destroyed and ruined.

Until the end of the 19th century, the city remained within the limits of the 17th century Faro Fence. Its gradual growth has been given greater impetus in recent decades.