Interpretation Center of Romanesque Sculpture

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Porto > Penafiel > Abragão

Location

Located in the peaceful village of Abragão, in the municipality of Penafiel, the Romanesque Sculpture Interpretation Centre is housed in the heart of its Civic Centre. Its location in the village allows for a direct connection to the community, naturally integrating into the local environment.

The Discovery that Gave Rise

The creation of this interpretative space is due to a remarkable archaeological discovery that occurred in 2006. During the urban requalification works of Abragão's Civic Centre, about seventy stone elements with Romanesque decoration were found. These pieces, some already dressed and others sculpted, revealed that they had been reused and integrated into the construction of the walls of an old building that, for many years, functioned as a blacksmith's workshop in the community.

The Stone Treasure and its Interpretation

Among the findings, capitals, bases, voussoirs, and shafts stand out, whose size and quantity allowed experts to conclude that they belonged to the ancient main portal of the Church of São Pedro de Abragão. This church, rebuilt in the second half of the 17th century, had preserved, until the date of these findings, only the chancel and its arch as the sole remaining Romanesque elements from its original construction. The discovered sculptural pieces, with motifs such as confronted animals, beveled palmettes, or voussoirs decorated with intersecting circles, are close to the style and technique present in other Romanesque churches in the Penafiel region.

The exhibition at the Romanesque Sculpture Interpretation Centre offers a journey that allows visitors to explore the temporal, social, and cultural context of Romanesque art. The importance of stonemasons and sculptors in the materialization of these works is highlighted. One of the central points of the exhibition is the partial and hypothetical reconstruction of the portal and rose window of the main façade of the Church of Abragão, using the recovered stone elements as a basis.

Ancient Art and Modern Perspective

In addition to presenting the historical and artistic value of Romanesque sculpture, the Interpretation Centre establishes a dialogue between the past and contemporary creativity. A notable example of this bridge is the sculpture Boi, by the plastic artist Bordalo II. This work, produced through the reuse of various materials, offers a reinterpretation of Romanesque aesthetics with a current perspective, highlighting art's timeless ability to inspire and transform.

Accessibility

This centre was designed to welcome all visitors, ensuring that its exhibition spaces are fully accessible to people with reduced mobility, providing a comfortable and inclusive experience for everyone who visits.

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