Rates Museological Nucleus

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Porto > Póvoa de Varzim > Rates

Location

Located in the historic village of Rates, in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, the Museum Centre is situated precisely next to the imposing Church of S. Pedro de Rates. Its integration into the central area of the village invites a peaceful stroll through the surrounding streets, allowing for a serene immersion in the local environment.

The Monastery's Heritage

This museum space was designed to preserve and share the rich history and artistic legacy of one of the region's most significant Romanesque monuments, the Church of S. Pedro de Rates. It is here that the secular journey of this place unfolds, from its origins as a ruined monastery, donated by D. Henrique and D. Teresa to the Priory of La Charité sur Loire, in France, with the purpose of establishing the Benedictine rule. The museum traces the slow and grand construction that followed, revealing the transformations the temple underwent over the centuries.

Testimonies in Stone

The main collection of the Museum Centre comprises a vast set of granite architectural elements. These pieces, some with vestiges of their original polychromy, were carefully collected during restorations and archaeological works in the areas surrounding the Church. They offer a detailed overview of medieval sculpture, allowing observation of its techniques and complex decorative grammar. The exhibition also includes archaeological finds documenting the various phases of conventual and particular development of Rates, from the 6th century to contemporaneity.

An Encounter with History

Visiting this museum centre provides a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the knowledge of Romanesque art and the monastic life that shaped the region. The space serves as a dissemination point offering a broader understanding of the history, art, and archaeology connected to the ancient monastery and the current parish church of S. Pedro de Rates. It is a cultural experience that allows establishing a link between the present and the millennial past of the village of Rates, through the material vestiges preserved by time.

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