National Museum Machado de Castro, National museum in Coimbra, Portugal
The National Museum Machado de Castro is located in Coimbra in a building constructed on Roman foundations, with exhibition spaces arranged across multiple levels. The structure incorporates architectural elements from different historical periods as it rises through these layers.
The site originally functioned as a Roman forum in the first century and was later transformed into a bishop's palace during the 12th century. It became a museum in 1913.
The collections display Portuguese art through sculptures, precious metals, paintings, ceramics, and textiles spanning several centuries. Visitors encounter works that reflect how artistic traditions changed and developed across different regions of the country.
The museum is located at Largo Dr. José Rodrigues with a restaurant offering city views, accessible during regular hours from Tuesday to Sunday. Plan enough time for exploring all exhibition levels, as you will need to navigate stairs between different floors.
The Roman Cryptoporticus beneath the building is the largest Roman structure in Portugal and contains vaulted galleries that supported the former forum above. Walking through these underground chambers offers a direct encounter with ancient engineering.
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