Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Aveiro > Aveiro > Lugar dos Moinhos > Glória e Vera Cruz
The Palheiro Museum is located in Lugar dos Moinhos, an integral part of the Glória e Vera Cruz urbanisation, in the municipality of Aveiro. Situated in this locality, it offers a point of contact with history and traditional architecture, set within an urban context.
The Palheiro Museum represents a type of construction dating back to a period when fishing activities shaped daily life. Originally, these structures were built with materials readily available in the region, wood, which proved to be light and easy to transport. They served primarily as temporary shelters or dwellings for fishermen, also functioning as storage for fishing gear and, later, for salting or drying the caught fish.
Initially, the palheiros were simple wooden constructions, without exterior treatment. However, to protect them from the action of natural elements, they began to be coated with a mixture based on fish oil and natural pigments, resulting in shades such as red ochre and black, colours still visible in older examples. A distinctive feature that evolved was the practice of alternating colours on the exterior planks, creating the striped appearance that is so recognizable today.
Over time and with the establishment of communities, the architecture of the palheiros adapted. From spacious, undivided interiors, they evolved into multi-storey constructions, acquiring doors, windows, and even chimneys. Interiors came to be divided by wooden partitions or even boat sails, and in some cases, uniquely adorned with oyster shells, reflecting the ingenuity and creativity of their inhabitants.
Beyond their original function, the palheiros acquired a new purpose. With the rise of new forms of leisure and the demand for summer environments, these wooden constructions began to attract not only fishermen's families but also writers, politicians, and the bourgeoisie. They transformed into seaside holiday homes, adorning themselves with the colourful stripes that are now one of their most emblematic features. The Palheiro Museum thus offers a glimpse into this evolution and the role these buildings played in transforming the social and cultural habits of the region.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.6443994,-8.6666089
Coordinates DMS: 40°38'39.8"N 08°39'59.8"W
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