Museum Nucleus of Metrology/House of Scales

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Évora > Évora > Évora > São Mamede, Sé, São Pedro e Santo Antão

Location

Located in Largo do Chão das Covas, the Casa da Balança (House of the Scale) is situated in a traditional area of Évora's historic city center. This square is part of the city's old urban fabric, forming a piece of the historical tapestry that characterizes this Alentejo locality.

The History of Measurement

This museum space is dedicated to metrology, the science of measurement. Here, visitors have the opportunity to explore the evolution of methods and instruments used for measurement throughout the centuries in Portugal. The exhibited collection spans an extensive period, featuring pieces dating from the 15th to the 20th century, showing how weighing and measuring were done in the past to ensure fairness in trade and other daily activities.

The Legacy of Casa da Balança

The name "Casa da Balança" (House of the Scale) reflects the historical function this place served in the city. Traditionally, it was the municipal reference and control point for weights and measures. In this section, visitors can observe the former municipal weights and measures calibration workshop, which operated in this very building until the late 20th century. This part of the exhibition offers a practical glimpse into the crucial role that measurement precision played in organizing the social and economic life of Évora.

Historical Precision Instruments

As visitors walk through the museum, they will find a variety of intriguing instruments: different types of scales, sets of weights with diverse shapes and materials, and measures of length and capacity. Each object bears witness to the techniques and standards of measurement used in the past, and together, they illustrate the importance of metrology from the time of King D. Manuel I to more recent times, connecting visitors to a fundamental, though often overlooked, aspect of daily history.

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