Portugal's heritage gems shone with a special shine last month. On the last weekend of September, over 1200 European Heritage Days activities welcomed visitors to the country’s remarkable monuments, cultural venues, and historic sites.

Exploring the inner workings of the Windmill of Alburrica in Barreiro, gathering at moonlight at the Interpretive Center of Tongobriga, and watching a movie cycle dedicated to cultural heritage were just some of the experiences available. Connected with the theme The Art of Sharing, this year's events helped citizens learn more about their European identity and shared values.

The celebrations were held all across the country with numerous regions and districts of Portugal presenting their unique treasures. The programme attracted about 300,000 people, taking them to an extraordinary cultural journey. 

Events Overview

The exceptional visitor count during this year’s European Heritage Days in Portugal speaks about the great interest in exploring heritage. The originality of themes presented and the diversity of activities organised contributed to making this year’s festival a major success.      

Among the highlights of the weekend, a special exhibition organised by Tenico Lisboa museums at the Civil Engineering Museum attracted numerous visitors eager to find out more about the history of engineering and computing in Lisbon. Highlighting people and projects that enabled technology advancements in the country, the exhibition presented heritage from a different perspective.

A rich programme of events was offered in the Municipality of Barreiro, which blended three perspectives on cultural heritage. Visitation, dissemination, and reflection on the past and future significance of the cultural heritage of Barreiro were in focus of the activities, painting a comprehensive picture of its values.

Industrial heritage was also foregrounded in Porto, where visitors could explore the traces of industrial development since 1960s. Porto also opened the doors to its historic monasteries, including Monastery of Mancelos and Travanca Monastery.

The Municipality of Esposende in the Braga District also had an exciting programme. It organised a series of European Heritage Days events, allowing visitors to explore their cultural environment from different perspectives. Similarly, the municipality of Odemira invited visitors to discover their past by exploring intangible heritage and traditional crafts in particular.  

Uniting multiple themes and perspectives, European Heritage Days 2018 in Portugal presented this year’s common theme in a unique way. The variety of experiences provided helped citizens discover new aspects and roles of heritage, focusing on those that bond all Europeans.  

Featured photo: Windmill in Alburrica, Barreiro