Côa Museum

In Portugal’s northeastern mountains schist rocks that border the banks of the Côa, a tributary of the Douro River, became art panels for our ancestors 25,000 years ago. The last seventeen kilometers of the Côa River, with hundreds of engravings on its margins, became the first Portuguese archaeological park and in 1998 was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
This extensive collection of outdoor rock art sets aside the myth that this type of art can only be seen in closed caves and therefore its historical value is priceless.

With the existence of the Côa Valley Archaeological Park there was a need for a museum that would not only welcome some of the panels at risk, but also inform and disseminate the rock art of the Côa Valley to its visitors. Thus, in 2003, during the International Year of Architecture, the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Association of Portuguese Architects launched a competition for the design of the Museum of Art and Archaeology of the Côa Valley. The first prize was given to the team coordinated by architects Camilo Rebelo and Tiago Pimentel.

Completed in 2009, the monolithic triangular shaped building with four floors (one of them underground), is characterized by the impressive straight and contemporary lines, but nonetheless in perfect harmony with the surrounding landscape.
The concrete structure was designed to look like the local schist through the use of fiberglass molds.
The that ramp crosses the entire permanent exhibition floor connects the spaces and distributes visitors.

The pictures speak for themselves. This museum is worth a visit, not only for the historical and cultural enrichment, but also for the building itself.

Marta.

via Fundação Côa Parque

via Fundação Côa Parque

via Fundação Côa Parque

via arch daily

via arch daily

via arch daily