Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Bragança > Vinhais > Vinhais > Arrabalde
The Interpretive Center of the Pig and Smoked Meats is located in Largo do Arrabalde, a central and prominent area in the village of Vinhais. Its position is privileged within the urban cluster, situated approximately one hundred meters from the old walls of the local castle. This proximity gives it an interesting integration into the historical fabric of the village.
This interpretive center is housed in a building of great architectural value, known as Solar do Conde Sarmento. Built between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it represents a remarkable example of armorial manor architecture. It was commissioned by João Ferreira Sarmento, an illustrious figure from Vinhais.
On the façade, a prominent Coat of Arms Stone displays a quartered shield. Each quarter symbolizes one of the families connected to the manor: the five silver escallops represent the Pimentel, the thirteen gold bezants denote the Sarmento, the horizontal bars refer to the Ferreira, and a silver tower with an uprooted mulberry tree distinguishes the Morais. These heraldic elements reflect the history and lineage of its former owners.
The Interpretive Center of the Pig and Smoked Meats is a cultural facility dedicated to preserving and disseminating the heritage associated with pigs and their traditional products in Vinhais. Inaugurated in 2016, this space highlights the importance of this endogenous resource for the region and is the only one of its kind in the country. Its management is ensured by the National Association of Bísaro Pig Breeders, which also has its institutional headquarters here.
Inside the center, visitors are invited on a journey of knowledge about the world of pigs and smoked meats. The collection includes a vast array of museological elements (from objects to graphic, iconographic, literary, and musical materials) illustrating the complete sequence of pig farming and slaughter in the lands of Vinhais.
Interactive exhibitions, utilizing multimedia technologies, provide an immersive and sensory cultural experience. The themes covered include the role of pigs in rural areas, the influence of food on meat quality, farming processes and those involved (such as the castrator or veterinarian), the tools and rituals of slaughter (knives, salting troughs, baskets), and the variety of derived products (unto, salpicões, hams, chouriças). The place of pigs in Portuguese gastronomy is also explored, with elements that captivate all generations, including pedagogical approaches for younger visitors.
The center pays particular attention to the Bísaro Pig, an indigenous breed that serves as a living testament to the ancestry of pig farming in the region. With roots dating back to pigs raised by the Celts in the 6th century B.C., the Bísaro Pig is distinguished by its corpulence, high legs, docile temperament, large ears, and characteristic gait. This animal symbolizes centuries of accumulated knowledge in pig breeding and the refinement of recipes and methods for processing and preserving meat, a pillar of Vinhais' identity and gastronomy.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.8361744,-7.0004646
Coordinates DMS: 41°50'10.2"N 07°00'1.7"W
Weather Vinhais
On-duty Pharmacy Vinhais
