Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Portalegre > Portalegre > Portalegre > Sé
The José Régio House Museum is located in the Sé area, in the heart of Portalegre. It is situated next to the Praça do Município (Municipal Square), a central area of the city, facilitating access for those exploring the historic center.
This museum occupies the house where the writer José Régio lived for a large part of his life, for 34 years, while teaching in Portalegre. The city of Alto Alentejo became his chosen home and inspired part of his work, as is visible in the famous poem 'Toada de Portalegre'. The museum preserves the memory of this profound connection, allowing visitors to learn a little about the poet's daily life and his relationship with this place.
The house that today hosts the museum has a long and diverse past. Its construction dates back to the late 17th century and would have initially functioned as an annex to the Convent of São Brás, of which some vestiges still remain. Over the years, it had different uses, including a period as a headquarters during the French invasions and, later, a guesthouse. It was precisely in this guesthouse that José Régio settled upon arriving in Portalegre, gradually occupying the entire space over time.
José Régio was known for his immense passion for collecting. In Portalegre, where he found a fertile environment for this passion, he amassed a vast collection of objects. The museum presents a significant part of this collection, which reflects the richness of the region's sacred and popular art, as well as the ingenuity of local craftsmanship. Notable pieces include a numerous collection of Christs in various representations, traditional furniture, regional faience (including the curious 'ratinhos' plates), and various examples of what is called 'pastoral art', created with simple materials like cork and horn, which reveal the creativity of anonymous artisans.
Visiting the House Museum provides an insight into the intimate environment in which José Régio lived and worked for so many years. It is possible to see some of the spaces, such as the bedroom and the study, kept practically as the poet left them. This preservation of the original space offers a unique perspective on his daily life and the context surrounding his literary creation and collecting activities.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.2887929,-7.4295939
Coordinates DMS: 39°17'19.7"N 07°25'46.5"W
Weather Portalegre
On-duty Pharmacy Portalegre
