Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Viseu > Lamego > Lazarim
The Iberian Mask Interpretive Centre is located in Lazarim, a small village in the municipality of Lamego, known for its strong connection to ancestral traditions. Its location allows visitors to immerse themselves in the rural Douro environment that serves as the birthplace and stage for many of the cultural manifestations explored by the Centre.
Lazarim, with its distinct identity, offers an authentic setting for understanding the importance of these rituals and popular expressions.
This cultural space was installed in a building with history, the old Solar dos Viscondes de Lazarim (Manor House of the Viscounts of Lazarim). This choice gives the Centre a peculiar atmosphere, blending traditional architecture and the memory of the place with the modern purpose of interpretation and cultural dissemination.
The presence of the Centre in an ancestral manor house reinforces the idea that the traditions it houses are an enduring legacy, transmitted from generation to generation.
The Centre is dedicated to the exhibition and valorisation of masks and their associated rituals throughout the Iberian Peninsula. In its exhibition, visitors can observe a vast collection of costumes, masks, and other objects characteristic of winter masquerades and popular Carnivals, both from Portugal and Spain.
Particularly highlighted are the wooden masks, for which the village of Lazarim is recognized, with representations ranging from figures of beasts and demons, to fantasy characters and even more contemporary references, demonstrating the richness and diversity of these manifestations.
This cultural space deepens the universal meaning of mask traditions, whose roots are lost in time. The Centre seeks to study and interpret the essence of these rituals, exploring their histories and origins through research and direct contact with the communities that keep them alive.
It is a place that reveals how these ancient experiences persist and renew themselves, showcasing the profound symbolism behind each mask and each celebration.
In addition to its exhibitions, the Iberian Mask Interpretive Centre is a dynamic venue with a clear educational and cultural vocation. It features an auditorium and rooms dedicated to educational services, where various activities are promoted.
The Centre is an active hub for the dissemination of these arts, with programs that regularly include cultural journeys, mask workshops, and debates, offering visitors a more interactive and engaging experience with this rich cultural heritage.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.0314246,-7.8448925
Coordinates DMS: 41°01'53.1"N 07°50'41.6"W
Weather Lazarim
On-duty Pharmacy Lazarim
