Description of the attraction
Aveiro is considered a fishing city. From the harbor, fishermen went fishing to the shores of Africa and South America, in addition, salt was mined from sea water, and this made the city the richest in the country. Later, after several storms, the harbor became shallow. Since fishing was the main income of the population, the city practically died out. At the beginning of the 19th century, a canal was dug, which connected the lagoon and the sea, and the city was slowly being restored. But the volume of fishing was no longer as large as it used to be.
You can learn about the history of sailing in Aveiro and fishing in the Maritime Museum, which is located in Iliavo. The Maritime Museum in Ilyavu was founded on August 8, 1937. The exposition of this unique museum will tell visitors about the history of fishing in Aveiro, about fishermen, about catching cod, collecting shells and algae. On the ground floor there is a hall dedicated to everything related to cod fishing and a hall dedicated to fishing in general in the lagoon. The highlight of this exhibit is a life-sized cod boat. Visitors can climb aboard, look at fishing tools, and imagine the lives of people who have spent months at sea. The collection, which is dedicated to the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, also displays a variety of life-sized boats and other exhibits that highlight fishing and other activities in the lagoon.
In addition to these two permanent exhibitions, the museum also has a hall dedicated to the Portuguese discoverers and representatives of the maritime profession, and a hall that displays an extensive collection of shells. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions that tell the story of the development of fishing on the coast of Portugal from the late 19th century to the 21st century.
