The The visionary and adventurous spirit of the Portuguese has left a deep mark on Portuguese architecture. Whilst in the rest of 16th Century Europe, the sober Gothic style dominated architecture, Portuguese architects dared to bend the rules and, inspired by the Discoveries, invent the «Manueline» style. Five hundred years later, right in the heart of the 21st century, names such as Álvaro Siza Vieira or Eduardo Souto Moura continue to surprise the world with their daring and innovative architectural projects.

-  The Past of Portuguese Architecture
- The Present of Portuguese Architecture

The Past of The Portuguese Architecture

The history of Portuguese architecture is thus a happy union between the past and the future. A past which includes Roman and Byzantine inheritances, as witnessed by the Temple of Diana in Évora or the Church of São Frutuoso in Braga which in the 11th Century showed us the Romantic style, brought to Portugal by the monks of the Cluny order. This style, traces of which are clearly evident in the cathedrals of Braga, Porto, Lamego and Coimbra, remained in force until the early years of the 13th Century.

Later, but still in that century, the first lines appeared which gave rise to the Gothic style, this time introduced by the monks of the Cister Order. Using the Catholic church as the main design, these churches show large naves, ogival arches and walls naturally illuminated by giant stained glass windows. The best Portuguese examples of the Gothic style are to be found in the monasteries of Alcobaça and Batalha.

With the Discoveries, the Portuguese imagination was inspired by the sea which led to the birth of the «Manueline» style. This was a development of the Gothic where the Moorish influences were restored, along with Maritime themes which provided ornamentations to constructions which included interwoven ropes, cables, anchors or corals. This style, unique worldwide, is even today a source of admiration, and as such it is no surprise that monuments such as the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the Torre de Belém in Lisbon, the Convento de Cristo in Tomar or the Monastery at Batalha are some of the places most visited by tourists even today.

The Renaissance style was brought from Italy and appeared in Portugal in the middle of the 16th Century. The cathedrals of Leiria and Portalegre are excellent examples of the style, as well as the Jesuit College in Évora, or the Casa dos Bicos in Lisbon.  

However, this style rapidly gave way to another, Mannerism, which acquired specific features of its own within Portugal and which would remain until the beginning of the 18th Century. The royal of the Company of Jesus was essential in the spread of Mannerism in Portugal, through their order that the interior of churches should be ample and homogenous and that the High Altar and pulpit were to be visible throughout the church. Examples of such churches are the church of Espírito Santo in Évora, the main chapel of the church of Jerónimos, the church of São Roque, or the church of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon. Interior decoration is also extremely characteristic of Mannerism: gold leaf, tiles and oil paintings which endow a magnificent interior ambience, in counterbalance to the simple sober lines of the buildings. 

From the 17th Century until the middle of the 18th Century, the Baroque style was the predominant one in Portugal, and it was in its ornamentation that this style had its true expression in our country. The convent at Mafra is considered to be the best example of the style, with its magnificent library, 88 metres in length, but in addition to this there is also the Aqueduto das Águas Livres, the church and stairs of Bom Jesus in Braga, or the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios em Lamego. The last two examples do in fact show that they are a mixture of the Baroque and the Rococo (the last phase of this style).



If Rococo was the last stage of the Baroque, where it achieved its greatest expression, to end up with a style which was extremely ostentatious and opulent, the Neoclassic style which followed represented a radical change. Its lines brought back sobriety and elegance, as can be seen in the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova in Coimbra or the chapel of S. João Baptista in the Church of São Roque in Lisbon. The Palácio da Ajuda in Lisbon is a good example of this architectural style. After the devastation brought about by the earthquake of 1755, Lisbon set about rebuilding itself, and entered the 19th century with its buildings showing off this new style.

Around 1830 Neoclassicism started to undergo alterations. Romanticism appeared and brought some new features, mainly related to decoration, and with a new sumptuousness being identified with the emerging upper bourgeoisie, and this gradually established itself in high society.

With the fall of the monarchy in 1910 and the subsequent period of internal struggles present throughout the country, architecture in Portugal took stock for a while and this was the situation when the «New State» of the dictator Salazar came into being. This led to the emergence of an architectural style which involved robust buildings and simple and sober lines, known as «Suave Portuguese», with the designs of Cassiano Branco being the trademark buildings of the style. The style was then replaced by buildings more influenced by Art Nouveau, some of which were designed by Ventura Terra. 

From the 25 April 1974 onwards, Portugal has undergone major changes which have been reflected in the new architectural styles which have emerged. A new generation of architects flowered and spread the name of Portugal throughout the world. Álvaro Siza Vieira is without doubt one of the most recognised architects at the world level, and his works are visited, studied and analysed in detail by both admirers and specialists. However, names such as Eduardo Souto Moura, Gonçalo Byrne, Fernando Távora, Nuno Teotónio Pereira, Carrilho da Graça and Manuel Salgado are essential reference points within Portuguese architecture and also responsible for the appearance of a new generation which is now starting to make its presence felt, and seen.



With the fall of the monarchy in 1910 and the subsequent period of internal struggles present throughout the country, architecture in Portugal took stock for a while and this was the situation when the «New State» of the dictator Salazar came into being. This led to the emergence of an architectural style which involved robust buildings and simple and sober lines, known as «Suave Portuguese», with the designs of Cassiano Branco being the trademark buildings of the style. The style was then replaced by buildings more influenced by Art Nouveau, some of which were designed by Ventura Terra.

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The Present of Portuguese Architecture

From the 25 April 1974 onwards, Portugal has undergone major changes which have been reflected in the new architectural styles which have emerged. A new generation of architects flowered and spread the name of Portugal throughout the world. Álvaro Siza Vieira is without doubt one of the most recognised architects at the world level, and his works are visited, studied and analysed in detail by both admirers and specialists. However, names such as Eduardo Souto Moura, Gonçalo Byrne, Fernando Távora, Nuno Teotónio Pereira, Carrilho da Graça and Manuel Salgado are essential reference points within Portuguese architecture and also responsible for the appearance of a new generation which is now starting to make its presence felt, and seen.



However, names such as Eduardo Souto Moura, Gonçalo Byrne, Fernando Távora, Nuno Teotónio Pereira, Carrilho da Graça and Manuel Salgado are essential reference points within Portuguese architecture and also responsible for the appearance of a new generation which is now starting to make its presence felt, and seen.