Journey with me to a hidden gem of Porto, the Reservatório. Once a vital water reservoir, this architectural marvel in Parque da Pasteleira now holds a different kind of treasure: the story of Porto itself. The Reservatório, renovated in 2017 by architects Alexandre Alves Costa and Sérgio Fernandez, with museological design by João Mendes Ribeiro, doesn’t just recount history; it immerses you in it. Imagine walking through the echoes of Porto’s past. The Reservatório tells the tale of the city’s foundations, its ancient walls and bustling squares. It whispers secrets of the Douro River, the lifeblood that courses through Porto’s veins. The streets, monuments, even the very fabric of the city’s growth, are all woven into the Reservatório’s narrative. This isn’t a linear timeline, but a captivating exploration. Fragments of different eras converge, creating a mosaic of Porto’s evolution. Materials from various periods intermingle with audiovisual displays and diverse imagery. You’ll discover how PortuCale, the city that birthed Portugal’s name, transformed into the Porto we know today. As you wander through the Reservatório’s galleries, you can even glimpse ongoing archaeological research. The Câmara Municipal do Porto’s investigators work tirelessly, unearthing the city’s buried secrets. Soon, a specialized library, part of Porto’s “Biblioteca Errante,” will further enrich this space. The Reservatório is more than just a museum. It’s a living archive, a place where the past breathes and whispers to the present.
Reservatório
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