Convento dos Lóios Museum

Category: Culture and Entertainment > Museum

District: Aveiro > Santa Maria da Feira > Santa Maria da Feira

Location

The Convento dos Lóios Museum is located in the center of Santa Maria da Feira, occupying a prominent place in the urban landscape. The building asserts itself with its main façade facing a vast area, highlighted by the monumentality of its staircase. Its position in the heart of the town makes it an easy-to-find landmark.

Origin and History of the Building

This secular building has its roots in the 16th century. It was then that the Counts of Feira promoted its construction, initially intended to house the College of the Secular Canons of Saint John the Evangelist, an order also known as Friars Lóios or Blue Canons. Over the centuries, the complex adapted and functioned as a convent.

In a more recent phase of its history, the former convent building found a new function. From 1992 onwards, it became the headquarters of the municipal museum, which was previously located elsewhere. This change allowed for the valorization of the convent's built heritage, giving it a new cultural and museological purpose within the municipality.

Architecture and Environment of the Convent

The building exhibits striking architectural features. The west-facing facade is notable, covered with blue and white 17th-century tiles, and preceded by an imposing monumental double-access staircase. On the intermediate landing of this staircase, a cruzeiro (stone cross) dated 1746 stands out. On the pavement, we can observe the presence of old tombs from the 16th century.

On the lower level of the staircase, there is an 18th-century fountain with a quadrilobed basin and superimposed bowls, topped by an armillary sphere. The interior of the complex preserves elements of its original design, namely the central, square-plan cloister, which invites a peaceful circulation around a fountain.

Heritage and Memory of the Region

The museum housed in this convent is dedicated to safeguarding and disseminating the historical and cultural heritage of the region, formerly known as "Terra de Santa Maria". Through its permanent exhibition, visitors can explore different periods of local history.

The collections cover themes such as Archaeology, tracing human presence from ancient times, the History of the territory's evolution, and Ethnography, which portrays the ways of life and traditions of the people of this area. The museum's collection allows for an understanding of the region's cultural diversity and identity.