Footprints from the past
The whole country is dotted with witnesses of the Neolithic, like the many dolmens or antas (burial chambers) and menhirs. The most impressive of these witnesses is undoubtedly the cromlech of Almendres, not far from Évora, a circle formed by 95 stone blocks. In the coastal Douro, especially in Briteiros, you will be able to observe castros or citânias, the first groups of Celtic dwellings, composed of stone huts surrounded by walls. In Conimbriga, it is the largest Roman site of the country that you will discover. Sculptures and mosaics are impressive. In Évora stand the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Diana, one of the most famous in Portugal. It is also to the Romans that we owe the rural villas - like that of São Cucufate - which would have inspired the quintas, the large Portuguese exploitations. Finally, it is the Moors who left superb architectural imprints, such as the Castelo dos Mouros in Sintra with its irregular stonework and its imposing stature set in the rock, the mosque of Mértola with its mihrab (prayer niche pointing to Mecca) and its horseshoe-shaped openings, or the morabitos, small square buildings with a dome, found in the Algarve. The Moors have also influenced urban planning, as in the Alfama district of Lisbon or in the traditional villages where the mourarias, old districts with their maze of whitewashed houses, are reminiscent of North African medinas.
The novel of the reconquest
It is in the 12th century that the history of Portuguese architecture really begins. At that time, King Afonso I led a geographical and ideological reconquest against the Moorish invader. Romanesque art was the weapon of this policy and everywhere along the path of the reconquest, churches with clean lines and simple forms were erected. One of the most striking of these is the Church of the Charola in the convent of Tomar, called the Rotunda because of its circular plan. This was also the time of the construction of the great cathedrals. The first one was built in the north, in Braga, according to the plans of the Abbey of Cluny. In the north of the country, the buildings are mostly made of granite, a material that is hard to work, which explains the lack of detailed ornamentation. On the other hand, in the south, limestone allows a more thorough work of decorative forms. But all these buildings have in common the use of the semicircular arch, the barrel vault and the sobriety of the lines. True bastions of resistance, these buildings are often equipped with defensive works to resist the invader. It is only towards the end of the 12th century that they will lose their minimalist and fortified aspect to go towards more grandeur, as in Évora, whose cathedral is twice the size of the one in Lisbon. Finally, don't miss in Bragança the Domus Municipalis, an amazing little building that is said to be the only example of Romanesque civil architecture in the country.
Gothic Splendors
Gothic art was introduced to Portugal by the great monastic orders and developed as the country entered a period of great prosperity. With the Gothic period came new techniques - pointed arches, cross-arches, buttresses and lateral buttresses - allowing the construction of lighter, higher and brighter buildings. The first great Gothic building in the country was the monastery of Alcobaça (1178-1222), whose layout was inspired by the abbeys of Cîteaux and Clairvaux. It impresses with its three elegant naves of equal height and its high windows that flood the whole with a soothing light. During this period, cathedrals were being enlarged, as in Lisbon, Braga or Porto, and the country was endowed with its most beautiful castles under the impetus of the king builder Denis I. Most of them were built on ancient Roman or Moorish forts. From purely defensive structures, they progressively moved to more sophisticated buildings, following the evolution of combat techniques as much as the kings' desire for comfort. One of the most beautiful castles in the country is that of Almourol, perched on a small island in the Tejo River. But the great Gothic masterpiece is the monastery of Santa Maria da Vitoria (1388), better known as Batalha (the battle), built to celebrate the Portuguese victory over the Castilians at Aljubarrota. There are many architectural innovations, such as the vaulting of the chapter house without intermediate supports or the circular ribbed vaulting without central support in the Founder's Chapel. Stained glass windows, openwork arcades and exterior ornamentation add to the splendor of the building.
Manueline style
The term Manueline, which appeared in the 19th century, refers to a style that developed in the 15th and 16th centuries, particularly during the reign of Manuel I . At that time, the kingdom was at its political and economic peak and, thanks to the great discoveries, was nourished by influences from all over the world. This prosperity was reflected in a style of abundant decoration combining Moorish, medieval and Christian motifs, and evocations of the sea and nature. In 1490, Diego Boytac, an architect of French origin and a great initiator of the Manueline style, drew up the plans for the Church of Jesus in Setubal, with twisted columns and arches of the vaults in the shape of marine ropes. In Lisbon, Francisco Arruda designed the Tower of Belém, which recalls the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech. Boytac, him, realizes the monastery of the Jeronimos with its stone laces, its columns where vine leaves and marine knots are mixed and its arches reminding the Arab moucharabiehs allowing to see without being seen. The Capelas Imperfeitas (imperfect chapels) of the monastery of Batalha, with its oriental palace-like appearance, and the window of the Convent of Christ in Tomar, with its captain supporting two masts surrounded by ropes and corals and its armillary spheres surrounding the coat of arms of Manuel I, are among the other great Manueline achievements of the country. Not to mention the unclassifiable Palacio Nacional de Sintra, designed by Manuel I: Chinese lounge, Moorish chapel, earthenware pavement and conical chimneys make it an architectural fantasy like no other.
Renaissance and Mannerism
The Renaissance was established late and unevenly in the country and was mainly the work of foreign artists who came to temper the Gothic flamboyance by seeking a classical ideal of harmony and perfection of lines and proportions. Among them was the Spanish architect Diogo de Torralva, who designed the elegant chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Tomar. He also worked on the cloister of Dom Joao III at the Convento de Cristo in Tomar. Torralva favored a regular ordering of geometric forms. The cloister was completed by Filippo Terzi, the Italian architect who made a shift to Mannerism, a style that retained the codes of the classical Renaissance but broke with the ideal of harmony to favor changing and shifting forms. His greatest Mannerist achievement is the church of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, with its elaborate façade. Another great Mannerist was Afonso Avares, who built the church of São Roque, also in Lisbon, a sort of large rectangular hall strongly inspired by the Jesuits, who were then in the midst of a struggle against the Protestant Reformation and who sought to edify and educate believers through buildings that were as impressive as they were pragmatic, where everything had to be done to attract the faithful's gaze to the priest.
Baroque and rococo flames
At the beginning of the 18th century, the kingdom had gained its independence from Spain, the Inquisition was retreating and gold and precious stones from Brazil were flowing freely. To this new period of opulence corresponds a wave of movement and architectural theatricality: it is the advent of the baroque, which takes its name from the Portuguese word barroco, designating a pearl of irregular shape. Undulations, plays of light and shadow, optical illusions and alternation of convex and concave forms, overabundance of decoration which finds its apogee with the talha dourada, a technique of carving on wood gilded with leaf...: the baroque astonishes and detonates. In Porto, the Tuscan decorator and architect Nicolau Nasoni built the Church of the Clerics, with a unique elliptical nave. He was also responsible for the Palacio de Mateus in Vila Real, with its symmetry and play of mirrors. The Queluz Palace, designed by Mateus Vicente de Oliveira, is often described as the Portuguese "little Versailles" and offers a sumptuous decor. Another great Baroque achievement is the National Palace of Mafra, the work of the German Ludwig and the Hungarian Mardel. Monumental, the palace impresses by its sober facade of 200 m long which contrasts with the opulence of its interior decoration. The spectacular baroque will be followed by a rococo all in fantasy, luxuriance and sensuality, like the sanctuary of the Bom Jesus do Monte, in Braga, which can be reached by two monumental staircases, the staircase of the five senses and the staircase of the three virtues, decorated with vertical fountains and statues.
Neo and romantic styles
The style favored by the Marquis of Pombal for the reconstruction of Lisbon after the earthquake of 1755 broke with the exuberance of the rococo and favored a return to the classical canons, foreshadowing the neoclassicism of the 19th century. Among the great neoclassical buildings of Lisbon, let us quote the national palace of Ajuda and the Dona Maria II theater whose facades recall the Greco-Roman temples. A very conservative city and marked by the presence of many English industrialists who were followers of this style, Porto has some very beautiful neoclassical buildings, such as the Santo Antonio Hospital. During the 19th century, the country experienced many troubles that shook up its identity. Eager to rediscover their roots, the aristocracy and bourgeoisie favored revivalismo, a kind of romantic and idealized vision of the national past, tinged with foreign influences, especially oriental ones, gleaned by Portuguese artists-travelers. This was the advent of the neo styles that lasted until the 20th century. The most incredible example of this revivalismo is undoubtedly the Basilica of Santa Luzia, in Viana, a gigantic neo-Byzantine building with a 57 m high dome. Another contribution of the time was that of engineers, who contributed to the development of metallic architecture with masterpieces of civil engineering such as the Dom Luis I and Dona Maria Pia bridges in Porto, or the Santa Justa urban elevator in Lisbon. At the beginning of the 20th century, Art Nouveau made a brief incursion into the country, especially in Oporto, where the elegance of this new style blended well with the neo-Moorish curves in vogue at the time. The Majestic Café in Porto is one of the most beautiful witnesses of this Art Nouveau. It has been classified as a "building of public interest".
Contemporary Portugal
For nearly 40 years, Portugal lived under the yoke of Salazar and his military dictatorship, called Estado Novo, which used architecture as a propaganda weapon. The first achievements will be tinged with neoclassicism, also borrowing much from Art Deco and Bauhaus. The lines are sober and pure, like those of the legendary Serralves Foundation in Porto. In 1940, Salazar organized an Exhibition of the Portuguese World where traditional popular decorations were mixed with modern architecture. Then, gradually, a monumental style was established, of which the Cristo Rei in Lisbon is the most astonishing witness. It was not until the 1970s that a contemporary Portuguese architecture emerged, led by Alvaro Siza Vieira and the Porto School, which advocated a designed, elegant architecture that was concerned with the relationship with the ancient heritage. Siza, a master of purity, took care to integrate the city's heritage into his project to rebuild the Chiado district of Lisbon after the 1988 fire, which earned him the mythical Pritzker Prize. He is also responsible for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto and the amazing Pavilion of Portugal for the 1998 Exhibition in Lisbon. His pupil, Eduardo Souto de Moura, continues in this architectural line with the Casa das Historias Paula Rego in Cascais, all in red concrete, or the Braga stadium built for the Euro 2004, where one of the goals is leaning against the rocky wall above it. Portugal has also welcomed great names in international architecture, such as Santiago Calatrava and his superb glass and steel Oriente train station in Lisbon, or Rem Koolhaas and his Casa de Musica in Porto, a building made of ultra-modern concrete but including local traditions, such as azulejos. Preservation, rehabilitation and sustainability are today the key words of an elegant and audacious Portuguese architecture.
Made in Portugal
Portugal is a land of crafts and industry. For a long time, international designers and artists have had their objects made here, thus popularizing the made in Portugal concept. It is from this close relationship between craftsmanship, industry and art that Portuguese design was gradually born. Earthenware, cork, wood, ceramics, metal and glass are all materials worked by hand by Portuguese designers who revisit with modernity the codes of traditional craftsmanship. The Inspiring Portugal label contributes to the worldwide influence of this design, as do the brands WeWOOD, specialized in cabinet making, Cutipol, the legendary cutlery brand that can be found on all the world's greatest tables, and Vista Alegre, a company specialized in porcelain since 1824, all of which collaborate with the greatest designers. Among the cult objects of this Lusitanian design is the Gonçalo chair with its rounded and voluptuous forms. In Porto, the school of art and design is very influential and the proximity of the country's major industries makes it a privileged home for designers. In Lisbon, a visit to the Museu do Design and da Moda is a must to discover its incredible collection of furniture and objects. Don't forget to visit the LX Factory, a former industrial wasteland converted into a temple of design, and the Lisboa Design Show, a major international design fair. At the crossroads of art and craft, design also contributes to the Portuguese identity.
