Description of the attraction
The Machado de Castro National Museum is named after the famous Portuguese sculptor Joaquim Machado de Castro. One of the most famous creations of the master is a bronze sculpture depicting King Jose I of Portugal on horseback, which is installed in Lisbon.
This museum is one of the most famous art museums in Portugal. The exhibits are housed in the former Episcopal Palace, which was restored at the end of the 16th century. The XI-XII century church of St. John in Almedina, which is adjacent to the former Episcopal palace, is also part of this museum.
The museum displays items from the Roman period found during archaeological excavations, medieval sarcophagi, paintings of the 16th-18th centuries, sculptures made of stone and wood from the Romanesque and Gothic era, pieces of furniture, porcelain and faience products, and decorative fabrics. It is worth noting that the collection of sculptures of the museum is considered the largest among the collections of other national museums in Portugal. Among the paintings there are also works by famous Flemish artists.
A separate area in the museum is dedicated to the work of contemporary Portuguese artists and works of religious art. Religious artifacts were brought from churches and religious institutions in Coimbra and neighboring cities. Among the exhibits is a chalice of the 12th century, which depicts Jesus Christ and the apostles (on the bowl itself), and on the leg - symbols of the evangelists: Saint Matthew as an angel, Saint Mark as a lion, Saint Luke as a bull and Saint John as an eagle … The monstrance, made of gold and silver, from the treasury of Queen Isabella of Portugal, also attracts attention.
