Machado de Castro National Museum

Why go

The Centre of Portugal tourism board describes the site as the civic centre of Roman Coimbra, a Christian temple from at least the 11th century, a bishop's palace from the second half of the 12th century and a museum since 1911, with a great patio under a 15th-century loggia. It says the collections of sculpture, precious metals, painting, ceramics, textiles, furniture and archaeology come mainly from disbanded monasteries and convents of the Diocese of Coimbra, and that the Roman cryptoporticus beneath supported the forum courtyard and its buildings. The board names the architect Gonçalo Byrne for the museum's remodelling. The museum's own site did not answer this session, so its ticket and booking rules are not stated here. This record is the museum; Wikidata's item for it also describes the episcopal palace that houses it.