Montalvão Vintage

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Portalegre > Nisa > Montalvão

Location:

Montalvão Vintage is located in the peaceful village of Montalvão, part of the municipality of Nisa, in the Alto Alentejo region. It is housed in the former primary school building, a space that, upon rehabilitation, has been harmoniously integrated into the village's urban fabric, allowing visitors a direct approach to the daily life and spirit of the local community.

Memory and Traditions:

This cultural space is dedicated to preserving the memory and traditions of Montalvão. It is a place that allows visitors a journey into the past, particularly to the 20th century, highlighting the customs and daily life in the region. Its essence lies in paying homage to the times of old schooling, agricultural practices, and ancestral crafts that shaped the local identity, constituting a valuable collection of art and manual work.

The Interior Experience:

Inside Montalvão Vintage, visitors are invited to an immersive experience. They can "relive" a classroom of yesteryear, with a recreated classroom including period desks and geographical charts, complemented by a hologram that brings this memory to life. The museological nucleus also features exhibitions dedicated to ancestral arts and crafts, such as the typical Montalvão blankets and pieces carved from wood and cork. An animated video mapping illustrates the history of smuggling in the region, and an interpretive table offers an overview of the points of interest and the history of the village.

The Outdoor Heritage and the Giant Hoe:

Outside the building, a landscaped area features a unique collection of large-scale sculptures. These works, representing agricultural implements and tools, are an allegory of rural life and the traditions of Montalvão, namely field work. Among these remarkable pieces, which include a churn, a plough, a share, a work boot, and a blanket with regional embroidery, the world's largest hoe stands out. This impressive sculpture has a 19-meter handle and a blade 3 meters wide by 5 meters high, making it a unique point of interest and reference for the location.

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