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Silver Coast Culture
- a tradition of history and art
The Silver Coast is blessed with a rich culture of art and architecture, the history of which can be seen in the region’s extraordinary monuments and historic buildings.
The monasteries at Alcobaça and Batalha are stunning architectural masterpieces recognised by UNESCO for their importance, but in this region that is just the beginning of an exploration that takes in castles, churches and manor houses dating back centuries.
One unique aspect of Portuguese culture is the fado, a sad style of music that reflects longing and nostalgia.
It is characterised by mournful tunes and lyrics that reflect the sadness and disillusionment of people living in an unstable urban environment. The songs are often about the sea, broken love and lives of poverty, but can be about anything as long as the simple structure is retained.
The level of importance given to the music can be gauged from the country’s reaction to the death of the women regarded as the queen of fado, Amália Rodrigues. She was so highly regarded that a three day period of national mourning was declared when she died in 1999.
Destiny
Fado, which means destiny or fate, has been around since the early 1800s and is thought to have come from the songs of mariners that lamented their distance from home and loved ones. It is an urban style of music that began in taverns and brothels. The early fado singers organised themselves into gangs, each with their own characteristic style of dress. They were bohemian and anti-establishment in nature and in the early days the church did everything it could to get the music banned. But the music spread to the aristocracy where it gained popularity and secured its permanent place in popular culture.
Fado styles
There are two forms of fado, the Lisbon style and the Coimbra style. In Lisbon the music is more melodic with a strong romantic influence, while in the university city of Coimbra it is more academic in nature. There is a common saying that in Lisbon you applaud by clapping, whereas in Coimbra you cough as if clearing your throat. The Coimbra style is also sung exclusively by men who wear academic robes, cape and leggings and is normally performed in near darkness in city squares and on the streets. Popular venues are steps of the Santa Cruz Monastery and the Old Cathedral of Coimbra. Fado is also sometimes performed beneath the window of a woman being courted.
It is characterised by mournful tunes and lyrics that reflect the sadness and disillusionment of people living in an unstable urban environment. The songs are often about the sea, broken love and lives of poverty, but can be about anything as long as the simple structure is retained.
The level of importance given to the music can be gauged from the country’s reaction to the death of the women regarded as the queen of fado, Amália Rodrigues. She was so highly regarded that a three day period of national mourning was declared when she died in 1999.
Destiny
Fado, which means destiny or fate, has been around since the early 1800s and is thought to have come from the songs of mariners that lamented their distance from home and loved ones. It is an urban style of music that began in taverns and brothels. The early fado singers organised themselves into gangs, each with their own characteristic style of dress. They were bohemian and anti-establishment in nature and in the early days the church did everything it could to get the music banned. But the music spread to the aristocracy where it gained popularity and secured its permanent place in popular culture.
Fado styles
There are two forms of fado, the Lisbon style and the Coimbra style. In Lisbon the music is more melodic with a strong romantic influence, while in the university city of Coimbra it is more academic in nature. There is a common saying that in Lisbon you applaud by clapping, whereas in Coimbra you cough as if clearing your throat. The Coimbra style is also sung exclusively by men who wear academic robes, cape and leggings and is normally performed in near darkness in city squares and on the streets. Popular venues are steps of the Santa Cruz Monastery and the Old Cathedral of Coimbra. Fado is also sometimes performed beneath the window of a woman being courted.
Songs of longing
Historic architecture
The historic buildings of the Silver Coast are generally very well preserved and provide a visible record of the various architectural influences that have shaped the region’s built environment. As well as the Moorish architecture in places such as the castle walls and keep of Óbidos, the Silver Coast region is rich with masterpieces from the Gothic, Manueline, Baroque and Renaissance periods.
The visual arts are also very prominent here. Caldas da Rainha is the national centre for ceramics, having been home to the famous workshops of Bordalo Pinheiro. Today the town has a
The historic buildings of the Silver Coast are generally very well preserved and provide a visible record of the various architectural influences that have shaped the region’s built environment. As well as the Moorish architecture in places such as the castle walls and keep of Óbidos, the Silver Coast region is rich with masterpieces from the Gothic, Manueline, Baroque and Renaissance periods.
The visual arts are also very prominent here. Caldas da Rainha is the national centre for ceramics, having been home to the famous workshops of Bordalo Pinheiro. Today the town has a
design college and some important ceramic and sculpture museums.
Dynamic arts
Nearby Óbidos was the home of one of Portugal’s finest 17th century painters, Josefa de Óbidos, who is remarkable not just for the work she left behind but for being an eminent female artist at a time when it was almost unheard of.
On the Silver Coast the culture is not just all about history. The arts are rated highly here and every city and major town has a year-round programme of cultural events – music, theatre, dance and exhibitions, as well as the permanent displays housed in the region's galleries and museums. See the What's On Guide.
Dynamic arts
Nearby Óbidos was the home of one of Portugal’s finest 17th century painters, Josefa de Óbidos, who is remarkable not just for the work she left behind but for being an eminent female artist at a time when it was almost unheard of.
On the Silver Coast the culture is not just all about history. The arts are rated highly here and every city and major town has a year-round programme of cultural events – music, theatre, dance and exhibitions, as well as the permanent displays housed in the region's galleries and museums. See the What's On Guide.
