Cultural heritage news in Portugal

New archaeological discoveries may change the narrative of Côa Art

New archaeological discoveries in the Côa Valley have revealed evidence that may change the narrative regarding the relationship of Upper Palaeolithic populations with rock art and confirm human presence in the region beyond 27,000 years ago, according to the scientific coordinator.

Church/Portugal: New Bible translation aims to bring text closer to liturgy, catechesis, and prayer

A new translation of the Bible is being developed to align the text more closely with liturgical practices, catechetical instruction, and prayer.

Agência ECCLESIA31 Oct

Museus e Monumentos de Portugal proposes classification of the 'Fons Vitae' painting as a national treasure

Exactly one year ago, the opening of the classification procedure for the painting was published in the Diário da República.

Soares dos Reis: the greatness of a sculptor and the challenges of national artistic memory

The 180th anniversary of the birth of António Soares dos Reis, to be marked by the Soares dos Reis National Museum in Porto between 2027 and 2028, provides an opportunity to reflect on the preservation and study of Portuguese artistic heritage. A leading figure in 19th-century Portuguese sculpture, Soares dos Reis is best known for works like 'O Desterrado' (The Exile), which blend technical precision with profound psychological intensity. This upcoming commemorative programme, involving various academic and municipal institutions, serves as a call to move beyond mere celebration and instead invest in enduring research and public engagement with his legacy.

Assembly of the Republic opens this Saturday afternoon to citizens

Free visits can be made between 14:30 and 19:00, with the last admissions at 18:30.

Soares dos Reis: the greatness of a sculptor and the challenges of national artistic memory

The upcoming 180th anniversary of the birth of António Soares dos Reis, a leading figure in 19th-century Portuguese sculpture, serves as an opportunity to reflect on the preservation and study of national artistic heritage. While works like 'O Desterrado' demonstrate his technical mastery and emotional depth, the commemorative programme planned for 2027-2028 by the Soares dos Reis National Museum and other institutions must go beyond celebration to foster new research and public engagement. Ultimately, honouring such an artist requires active institutional commitment to ensure his legacy is understood by future generations.

In 1833, a cholera epidemic led Lisbon to open the Prazeres Cemetery, where Fernando Pessoa and Amália were buried; 193 years later, it is the city’s “only open-air museum” and houses the largest private mausoleum in Europe

Lisboa Secreta27 Oct

A thriller about the festivities that help define the identity of Guimarães

In 'Que o Inferno Pareça aqui', João Zamith wanted to explore how a community reacts when what unites it is also what can be used to divide it.

The Interpretive Centre of the Douro Woman in Armamar

Three years ago, an old cooperative winery (on Dr. António Oliveira Salazar St.!) was converted into a space honouring Douro women and other global icons, featuring objects, photographs, and documentaries.

An archive with all the names from 25 years of Teatro Viriato

The archive window pays tribute to all those who worked at Teatro Viriato over the past 25 years, storing the names of every employee and collaborator in three small alphabetical drawers.

More than one million antiquities have returned to their country of origin. Portugal returned them to Mexico

Over a million antique items have been repatriated to their home nation, with Portugal returning these pieces to Mexico.

Jornal Económico26 Oct

Between receiving and transmitting: Landscape, heritage, and the responsibility to transform

Portuguese cultural heritage legislation does not fully recognise landscape as an integrated reality. Recognising the landscape as a common good also means acknowledging its political dimension. An opinion piece by Aurora Carapinha.

Viriato: the Lusitanian hero: history and myth – part 2

The myth in formation: who wrote about Viriato? And what did they say? From the Greco-Roman classics to the romantics and today's authors.

Thirty years later, Salazar's hometown opens centre to interpret the Estado Novo

The Estado Novo Interpretive Centre – Regime and Resistance opens this Friday in Vimieiro. A frugal building and a simple exhibition serve as an anticlimax to a controversy that has lasted for decades.

Interpretive centre is neither a tribute nor a shrine to Salazar

Luís Nunes, vice president of Santa Comba Dão, explains the reasons for opening an Estado Novo Interpretive Centre. He states that the initiative will bring objectivity to the historical period.

Current Maus Hábitos is at risk

The uncertainty is related to the recognition process of Maus Hábitos by 'Porto de Tradição', a municipal programme that protects establishments with historical, cultural, or social significance.

The Portugal of origins: plurality as national DNA

A look at the First Dynasty shows us that coexistence between different groups has been in our cultural matrix since time immemorial.

Évora gathers cultural agents from Portugal and Spain to create projects in low-density territories

The city of Évora is bringing together cultural representatives from both Portugal and Spain to develop new projects aimed at sparsely populated regions.

SAPO21 Oct

63 philharmonic band projects to receive 700,000 euros in total funding

A new supplementary funding line from the Directorate-General for the Arts (DGARTES) will support 63 philharmonic band projects across the country. The initiative, overseen by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCJD), aims to strengthen artistic and organisational skills, stimulate contemporary creation, and preserve musical heritage. Minister Balseiro Lopes stated that the support values structures deeply rooted in their communities.

Lisbon and Istanbul: twin souls described by a Turkish master

What strikes me about Lisbon is the feeling of belonging and familiarity, as if I had walked its streets, climbed its hills and gazed at the river in another life. A person who captured this similarity is the Turkish art master Devrim Erbil, whose painting 'Twin Souls' adorns the walls of the Palácio Pimenta, at the Museum of Lisbon. In the painting, 89-year-old Erbil, one of Turkey's leading contemporary artists, portrays the two cities side by side, dividing his canvas vertically based on the distinctive colours of the two countries' flags: green and red. Though Lisbon sits on Europe's western edge and Istanbul on the continent's eastern extremity, both cities share a similar topography, history and culture, having both been classified by Romans as 'cities of seven hills', featuring river-like straits or rivers, and histories defined by imperial eras and devastating 18th-century earthquakes.

Alentejo and Spanish Estremadura create a "cultural corridor"

The “The Frontier of Culture” alliance was established this Monday in Évora. It involves municipalities such as Évora, Elvas, Badajoz, and Cáceres, and launches in 2027.

Alexandre Nobre Pais: 'Despite a turbulent start and the challenges of the PRR, MMP is consolidated'

Alexandre Nobre Pais states that, notwithstanding a difficult beginning and issues related to the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the company MMP has achieved a stable position.

The candelabra from the Germain dinner service that are returning to Portugal

Part of a set of over a thousand pieces commissioned by King José I from the goldsmith of Louis XV, the pieces were recently acquired by Portuguese collectors for 3.4 million euros.

The third life of the whaling boats of Lajes do Pico

The whaling boats are paving the way for UNESCO. The ambition is to preserve the knowledge that gives them life and to see if this heritage can also contribute to a tourist economy.

From historical heritage to the tourist experience

In an Europe rich in historical and cultural wealth, we all share a responsibility to preserve and value local identities. The tourism and hospitality sectors should strive to impact society positively by acting as a showcase for local culture. Hotels should not be merely functional spaces but immersive experiences reflecting their host cities through architecture, gastronomy, and community engagement. Furthermore, restoring historical buildings for new tourism functions breathes life into the local identity, creates economic opportunities, and fosters development beyond major urban centres. The ultimate challenge is to balance heritage preservation with tourism growth, ensuring that hotels become an integral part of the history of the places they occupy.

Stones That Defy Time: Henrique Agostinho on Portugal’s Megalithic Mysteries

Home Portugal Stones That Defy Time: Henrique Agostinho on Portugal’s Megalithic Mysteries Stones That Defy Time: Henrique Agostinho on Portugal’s Megalithic Mysteries History is often taught as a neat, linear progression of kings, dates, and expanding empires.

25 de Abril centre to be located at Campo das Cebolas

Lisbon City Council building on Rua Instituto Virgílio Machado will host the space. Montenegro has committed to financing the renovation and implementation of the centre.

25th of April Interpretive Centre to be located in a municipal building at Campo das Cebolas

The information was confirmed to Lusa by the president of the 25th of April Association, Vasco Lourenço, after it was initially reported by Expresso.

The Border: Where coincidences are consequences

The shared history between Galicia and Northern Portugal is not a series of accidents. It is proof of a cultural ecosystem that has always ignored the capitals.