Julio Dinis House Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Aveiro > Ovar > Ovar > Praça

Location

The Júlio Dinis House Museum is located in the Praça (Square), in the heart of the city of Ovar. Its central position in the urban fabric makes it easily accessible, situated in an environment that blends the tranquility of a square with the vibrancy of the locality, still reflecting, in some way, the peacefulness that once captivated the writer.

A Literary Legacy in Ovar

This museological space celebrates the significant stay of the distinguished Portuguese writer Júlio Dinis in Ovar, in the summer of 1863. At the time, Joaquim Guilherme Gomes Coelho, known by his literary pseudonym, was seeking to convalesce from tuberculosis and found in the then-village of Ovar a refuge and, above all, a source of inspiration. His stay in this house, owned by his aunt, allowed him to closely observe the customs and people of Ovar, elements that would later be immortalized in some of his most emblematic works, such as As Pupilas do Senhor Reitor and A Morgadinha dos Canaviais. For Dinis, this experience in Ovar was comparable to a "lukewarm bath," a pleasure that lulled him into his writing.

Casa dos Campos: Architecture and Memory

Originally known as Casa dos Campos, this building is a remarkable example of Ovar's traditional civil architecture. It was precisely this house, with its popular and genuine architecture, that served as a setting and muse for the young doctor from Porto. Its historical and cultural importance was recognized in 1984 when it was classified as a Property of Public Interest. In 1996, it opened its doors as a museum, aiming to preserve the memory of the era and the legacy of Júlio Dinis. Over the years, the property has benefited from rehabilitation and expansion projects that sought to maintain its original essence while adapting to accommodate visitors and its collection.

Collection and 19th-Century Ambiance

The journey through the Júlio Dinis House Museum provides a window into the 19th century and the writer's life. The permanent exhibition occupies the spaces of the original dwelling, allowing visitors an authentic glimpse into the environments where Júlio Dinis lived and created, namely the kitchen, the master bedroom, and the living room. The collection includes furniture and objects that evoke the house's original contents, as well as Vareiro ethnographic artifacts that help contextualize the social reality of the time. Furthermore, the museum houses a valuable "Dinisian" library, which gathers various editions of the author's works and studies on his life and literary production, highlighting his undisputed position among the great names of Portuguese literature.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt