Chart showing the progress of the Nautical Class

Every month the Museum of the Oldest Appellation in the World highlights one of the many objects that are part of the collection shown in our permanent exhibition. Come and discover the object of the month and find out more about our history.

The selected object is a chart showing the progress of the Nautical Class which under the supervision of the Board of Directors of Companhia Geral da Agricultura e Vinhas do Alto Douro takes place as the Seminar of Orphan Children of the City of Oporto, from January to the last day of December 1788, with José Monteyro Sallazar as teacher.

The Company was responsible for encouraging the creation of higher technical education in Porto. At its request, the Nautical Class was created in 1762. It was the city’s first public higher education institution, with the aim of preparing officers for Porto’s frigates that protected the coast and the trade fleets to Brazil. Which afterwards was joined by the Sketching and Drawing Class, founding in 1803 the Royal Academy of Maritime and Trade Affairs. That educational institution was transformed, a couple decades later, into the Polytechnic Academy, predecessor of the University of Porto.