Bell Tower

Built in a Baroque style, construction began shortly after the 1755 earthquake, on top of one of the ancient medieval towers of the Portas do Sol, which marked the entrance to the old medieval village and castle. It was built away from the cathedral so that the bells would be heard in the furthest parish away – Arrabalde.
The Bellringer’s House was built next door, which serves as Eça’s inspiration. However, in his writing, the tower and Bellringer’s House are connected to the cathedral.
It is in the Bellringer’s House that the romantic encounters between the two main characters take place in complete secrecy. The pretext of these encounters are charitable visits to a person with paralysis.

References in the book:
“They met every week, sometimes once, sometimes twice, so that, by the end of the month their charitable visits to Totó has reached the symbolic number of seven (…). Father Amaro would warn Esguelhas the night before, and Esguelhas would leave the street door ajar, having first swept the whole house and prepared the bedroom for the priest’s work.”
“But if, when she went into the sexton’s house, she did not find Amaro there, she would not even pause at the foot of Totó’s bed, but go straight to the kitchen window, to keep a watch on the thick sacristy door, every one of whose black iron studs familiar to her.”