The Chaves Regional Museum

  

The Museu da Região Flaviense is installed in one of the most important buildings of modern Chaves.  This was the barracks of the Main Guard and a military prison built in 1739 possibly on the site of the palace of the Dukes of Bragança.  Even today the building is called by that name..  It is on the Praça de Camões, which also has the City Hall, the Misericordia Church, and the Santa Maria Maior Church.  The municipal library used to be installed in the same building but has now been moved to the restored Fire Brigade Headquarters on the Praça das Freiras.  

A large stone coat of arms of the Duke of Bragança sits imposingly above the doorway.  The museum details the history of the area through archaeology and ethnography.  There are remains of the Roman occupation, such as coins and pottery, and prehistoric stone relics among which is a human figure probably made about 2,000 BC.   Here you will also find a section of modern art, mainly of local artists.  Special mention should be made for the exhibit of Nadir Afonso, one of Portugal’s most famous painters of contemporary art, who was a native of Chaves.   

The Town Hall  

In the spacious Praça de Camões, you can find perhaps the most beautiful mansion in Chaves.  It was built in the nineteenth century and was the largest private building of its time.  In 1861 it was purchased by the Municipal Government of Chaves to install its services.  While outside it preserves its graceful and elegant exterior façade, inside it has been completely renovated to become a functional government office building.  Copyright © 2010 caaenglish.com. Designed by Free CSS Templates