Architecture of Portugal

Portugal boasts several scores of medieval castles, as well as the ruins of several villas and forts from the period of Roman occupation. Romanesque and Gothic influences have given Portugal some of its greatest cathedrals, and in the late 16th century a national style—Arte Manuelina—was synthesized by adapting several forms into a luxuriantly ornamented whole. Outstanding examples of Portuguese architecture include the ornate Manueline-style Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon; the Sé (cathedral) of Lisbon, in the facade of which the remains of Roman construction may still be seen; the Palace of Justice in Lisbon, a fine, soaring example of austere modern architecture; the castle and church of the Convent of Christ in Tomar; the late Portuguese Gothic abbey of Santa Maria da Vitória in Batalha; the granite Tower of the Clerics in Porto; and Braga’s Romanesque cathedral. Lisbon’s Baixa neighbourhood, in Pombaline style (named for Sebastião de Carvalho, marquês de Pombal, who rebuilt Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake), remains admirable today. As modern cities have expanded, there has been a revival of interest in traditional domestic and folk architecture, as is found in the hand-hewn stones of the Beiras, the low farms of the Alentejo, and the cottage chimneys in the Algarve.

Modern architecture has aroused considerable controversy. Some buildings with stark lines include the National Archives of Torre do Tombo, the Belém Cultural Centre, the grandiose Caixa Geral bank building, and the Expo ’98 site in the Parque das Nações, which includes an oceanarium and a railroad station. Some contemporary architects have successfully blended classical Portuguese styles with modern functions; among these are Fernando Távora, Nuno Teotónio Pereira, and Álvaro Siza Vieira, who was responsible for the successful reshaping of Lisbon’s Chiado area, a historic section of the city that suffered extensive fire damage in 1988.

Visual and decorative arts

Sculpture found rich expression in the magnificent tombs of the 12th and 13th centuries, and late 18th-century Baroque wood sculptures, of which the crèches of Joachim Machado de Castro are the finest, also are outstanding. The Classical and Romantic traditions of Italy and France influenced Machado de Castro in the late 18th century and António Soares dos Reis a century later. A school of primitive painters headed by Nuno Gonçalves was prominent in the 15th century, and subsequently Flemish artists interpreted the native style, decorating palaces and convents and leaving a rich heritage of religious art. Notable among them is Josefa de Óbidos (Josefa de Ayala), known especially for her religious paintings in Óbidos and her still lifes. The 19th century saw another rebirth of national art with a late Romantic period. An era of naturalist realism that followed, dominated by António Silva Porto, José Malhoa, and Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, gave way to the nonconformist imagery of the 20th century, such as that found in the work of José Almada Negreiros. Maria Elena Vieira da Silva, who did much of her work in France, was arguably the country’s finest abstract painter. Carlos Botelho is notable for his street scenes of Lisbon.

Among the decorative arts, the Portuguese glazed tiles (azulejos) are outstanding. Many 16th- and 17th-century buildings are faced with tiles, and the rooms and halls of palaces and mansions exhibit blue-and-white tiled panels or motifs in other soft colours. Exceptionally fine examples are found in the Pátio da Carranca, the courtyard of the royal palace at Sintra; in the São Roque Church and the Fronteira Palace in Lisbon; and in the Quinta da Bacalhoa, a wine-making estate at Vila Fresca de Azeitão near Setúbal. A remarkable array of panels of decorative tiles from the 15th century onward are displayed in the National Tile Museum in Lisbon.

Music

Liturgical forms such as plainsong dominated early Portuguese music, but the secular tradition of troubadour singing became popular in the Middle Ages. Polyphonic music, employing multiple vocal parts in harmony, was developed in the 15th century. The Renaissance fostered a rich output of compositions for solo instruments and ensembles as well as for the voice. The modern revival of so-called academic music in Portugal was primarily the work of Luís de Freitas Branco, whose Neoclassic tradition was perpetuated by Joly Braga Santos. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (founded by and named for the oil magnate) continues to inspire much of the country’s musical life. Composers acquiring prestige both at home and abroad include António Victorino d’Almeida, Jorge Peixinho, Miguel Azguime, Pedro Amaral, and João Pedro Oliveira. Orchestras of note include the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa and the Gulbenkian Orchestra. Porto has had its own symphony orchestra since 1962, when the Chamber Orchestra was set up by the Gulbenkian Foundation. Lisbon also has a metropolitan orchestra, and the National Theatre of São Carlos in Lisbon, which was built in the late 18th century, has its own orchestra and ballet company. Among notable pianists, Maria João Pires has won worldwide acclaim.

Cultural centres such as the Belém Cultural Centre and the Culturgest, both in Lisbon, and commercial sponsorship have expanded opportunities for major concerts. Madredeus is among the most successful popular music groups. Singer Dulce Pontes is also widely admired, and Carlos Paredes is considered by many to have been Portugal’s finest guitarist. Folk music and dancing and the traditional fado remain the country’s fundamental forms of musical expression. When the renowned fadista (fado singer) Amália Rodrigues da Piedade Rebordão (known simply as Amália throughout the world) died in 1999, three days of national mourning were declared. Younger fadistas such as Mariza, Katia Guerreiro, and Cristina Branco gained an international audience in the early 21st century.

Theatre and motion pictures

Along with a small but lively theatre, the Portuguese film industry, aided by subsidies and coproductions, has made its mark. Major filmmakers include João Botelho and João César Monteiro. Manoel de Oliveira, who made his first film in 1931 and was considered one of the world’s most innovative filmmakers, was still achieving critical successes and major awards into the early 21st century. His films include Aniki-bóbó (1942), Francisca (1981), Os canibais (1988; “The Cannibals”), O convento (1995; The Convent), and Porto da minha infância (2001; “Porto of My Childhood”). The actor Joaquim de Almeida gained an international following and appeared in many Hollywood films as well as in Maria de Medeiros’s Capitães de Abril (2000; Captains of April), which chronicles the April 1974 revolution. There are performances of both serious plays and witty musicals at the National Theatre of Dona Maria II in Lisbon. State and Gulbenkian Foundation aid has given new life to the “little theatre” both in Lisbon and in the provinces. International opera, theatre, and ballet are prominent in regular seasons in the National Theatre of São Carlos, in Lisbon, and in other theatres.