Description of the attraction
In addition to the painted boats that sail along the city's canals, Aveiro is also famous for its Art Nouveau buildings. The art nouveau style, or else it is called "modern", originated in France and very quickly spread throughout Europe.
There are many art nouveau buildings not only in Aveiro, but also in Lisbon and Porto. There are especially many such two-storey buildings around Rossio Square, in the center of Aveiro, the facades of which are decorated with arcades, bay windows and columns with various decorations and tiles. Examples include the family home of wealthy businessman Mario Belonte Pessoa, known for its carved stone and wrought iron façade. Inside, the walls of the house are decorated with colorful azulezos tiles, which depict local landscapes, birds, animals and flowers. It is in this house that the Aveiro Museum of Contemporary Art is located.
Architects Silvia Rocha and Ernest Corrodi were involved in the design of the museum building. The house itself, which now houses the museum, was built in 1909 and was the private property of the Pessoa family. It stood in desolation for a long time. Then it passed into state ownership, it was completely restored and turned into a museum of modern art. The museum is very large, so there is a map on the ground floor with which it is easy to navigate through the museum's expositions. The first floor is dedicated to buildings built in the traditional art nouveau style. There is also a tea room where you can relax and play the piano. On the second floor there is an art gallery, which displays works of contemporary artists and architects of the city, and an auditorium. The top floor houses temporary exhibitions.
