Culture in Viana do Castelo

In Viana do Castelo there is always something to do.

 

And if you’re here on vacation, you have time to do everything.

 

You have time to try all the traditional sweets of the region, visit the historic center or explore the city’s modernist and contemporary architecture.

 

But, in addition to the reference places to visit and the gastronomy of Viana do Castelo, the city also has cultural events taking place regularly.

 

Therefore, if you want an active holiday filled with a lot of art and culture, pay attention to the schedules of the following places:

 

• Sá Miranda Municipal Theater
• Museum of Decorative Arts
• Cultural Center
• Ao Norte Cineclube Viana
• Oficina Cultural

 

These are the main cultural places in Viana do Castelo, where various events and exhibitions happen.

 

Keep reading and get to know each one of them.

 

Sá Miranda Municipal Theater

 

It opened on April 29, 1885 and is the fifth oldest theater in Portugal that still has regular programming.

 

 

It also maintains the original architecture of its construction and has two rooms prepared to host shows, a room for rehearsing plays, an exhibition room and a café-concert.

 

The main room has a maximum capacity of 400 people and the ceiling features portraits of famous Portuguese playwrights, as a tribute.

 

It has different shows every week, covering various forms of art, from plays, dance shows to music concerts.

 

This diversified program is due to the excellent organization of the Municipality of Viana do Castelo together with the Teatro do Noroeste company.

 

In turn, Teatro do Noroeste is the resident professional company in this theater and was founded in 1991. Since then, many plays have been presented to the public in Viana do Castelo.

 

The plays presented are, normally, contemporary adaptations of the Portuguese drama repertoire.

 

Therefore, if you visit the Sá de Miranda municipal theatre, you will certainly be guaranteed a very pleasant and fun evening during your holidays in Viana do Castelo.

 

Museum of Decorative Arts

 

If you want to know a little more about the history of Portugal and, in particular, of Viana do Castelo, you must visit the Museum of Decorative Arts.

 

 

It is a building with baroque lines that has been located in Largo de São Domingos since 1923.

 

There are kept some of the most valuable collections of ceramics, tiles, painting, crockery, Indo-European furniture, ivory, enamel and alabaster.

 

Inside the Museum of Decorative Arts, there is a set of three rooms with hunting scenes depicted in historical baroque blue tile baseboards and a room with representations of all the continents of the world reproduced in panels.

 

The Museum of Viana do Castelo also has paintings on wood from the 16th to 20th centuries, Portuguese earthenware from the 17th to 19th centuries and earthenware from the Fábrica de Louça de Viana corresponding to the 18th and 19th centuries (one of the largest Portuguese collections).

 

Altogether, these are the collections on display at the Museum of Decorative Arts and which you will be able to see during your visit:

 

• Collections of Portuguese earthenware;
• Ceramic collections;
• Earthenware from the Fábrica de Louça de Viana do Castelo (1774-1855);
• Tiles by Policarpo de Oliveira and Valentim de Almeida;
• Drawings and paintings by Portuguese artists (18th and 19th centuries);
• Blue crockery from the 17th and 18th centuries;
• Pombaline tableware;
• Indo-European furniture from the 17th and 18th centuries;
• Rare pieces of ivory, enamel and alabaster.

 

In addition to all these collections, the Museum of Viana do Castelo has a room that functions as a gallery for temporary exhibitions that change every month.

 

Therefore, in addition to the aforementioned collections, you will still have a surprise factor in your visit to the museum and you will be able to see an exhibition that is not usual in this place.

 

Cultural Center

 

Located next to the River Lima, in Praça Marques Junior, the Cultural Center is the place where the biggest events in Viana do Castelo are organized.

 

 

With capacity for 4000 people and a space prepared to be multipurpose, this is the space in the city with the best infrastructure to host cultural events and international sports tournaments.

 

It has three floors and a total area of 3,792 m2 prepared to host the public and music concerts, dance shows, sports competitions or exhibitions.

 

The Cultural Center of Viana do Castelo was inaugurated in 2013 and the first show to take place in this place was a concert by the fado singer Camané.

 

From that concert to the present day, several events have taken place in the Cultural Center, such as, for example, exhibitions of Lego constructions, National Handball Team games and even music festivals.

 

It is the case to say that it is a place with a very eclectic program.

 

When you come to Viana do Castelo, don’t forget to consult the Cultural Center’s program to find out about the events that will take place here during your stay in the city.

 

Other Cultural Places in Viana do Castelo

 

In addition to the main cultural places in Viana do Castelo, already mentioned in this article, there are two others that also present good proposals in their programming and that deserve to be mentioned.

 

One of them is Ao Norte Cineclube Viana, which presents an alternative cultural proposal focused on author cinema and photography exhibitions.

 

It is located in Praça Dona Maria II and, in 2014, the City Council of Viana do Castelo awarded it an Institution of Merit award.

 

In turn, the other cultural place that also deserves mention is the Oficina Cultural of the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo.

 

This place promotes different types of cultural activities, from painting, sculpture, music, cinema to theater.

 

In other words, culture and events are something that is not lacking for those who value a city with activities that glorify art and sport.

 

Viana do Castelo is, therefore, a city that you must visit.

 

It is certain that you will have a holiday full of culture, sport, good food and beautiful landscapes.

 

And because a vacation also deserves a good rest, check out the rooms at AP Dona Aninhas, where you can relax during your stay in Viana do Castelo.

 

Make your reservation and guarantee an unforgettable vacation in this Minho city.