Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro

Introduction

The Machado de Castro National Museum, located in Coimbra, Portugal, is one of the most important national museums in the country. Housed in the former Coimbra Bishop's Palace, the building itself integrates Roman, Gothic, and Renaissance historical layers, with a Roman cryptoporticus gallery preserved underground. The museum is renowned for its religious art and Portuguese sculpture collections, including 12th to 18th-century Portuguese sculpture, Flemish paintings, religious gold and silver vessels, painted tiles, and original bishop's palace furnishings. The most precious holdings are a 12th-century Coimbra crucifix and 16th-century Flemish altarpieces. The museum is a core place to understand Portuguese religious art and the history of Coimbra's old town, offering a journey through centuries of ecclesiastical patronage and artistic achievement in one of Portugal's most historic university cities.

✨ Highlights

🛈 Practical Info