Centro de Interpretação do Românico

About the museum

The Centro de Interpretação do Românico (CIR, Romanesque Interpretation Centre), promoted by the Rota do Românico (Romanesque Route), opened to the public on 27 September 2018 in the town of Lousada. It stands out for its contemporary architecture and interactive museographic content, and serves as the starting point for exploring the Rota do Românico, a tourism and culture project that brings together 58 monuments and three interpretation centres in twelve municipalities in the Sousa, Douro and Tâmega valleys.

Besides the reception, café and library, it has about 650 m² of exhibition space, spread over a central atrium and six themed rooms: Território e Formação de Portugal (Territory and Formation of Portugal), Sociedade Medieval (Medieval Society), O Românico (Romanesque Art), Os Construtores (The Builders), Simbolismo e Cor (Symbolism and Colour) and Os Monumentos ao longo dos Tempos (Monuments Through the Ages).

In 2019 the centre received awards from the Associação Portuguesa de Museologia (Portuguese Museology Association), including an honourable mention as best museum of the year, as well as international architecture and design distinctions. In March 2025 it was recognised by CCDR Norte (the Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission) as a “Museu de Território” (territorial museum) of the Rede Regional de Museus de Território da Região Norte (Regional Network of Territorial Museums of the North Region).

Highlights

• Six themed rooms on Romanesque art, from the formation of Portugal to the monuments
• About 650 m² of exhibition with interactive experiences
• Starting point of the Rota do Românico, with 58 monuments
• Award-winning contemporary architecture
• Fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility

Permanent exhibition

• Exposição permanente – About 650 m² of interactive exhibition, in an atrium and six themed rooms, on the formation of Portugal, medieval society, Romanesque art, the builders, symbolism and colour, and monuments through the ages.

Founded

2018

Operated by

Rota do Românico

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Tuesday of each month, for individual visitors or groups of up to 10 people resident in Portugal

Discounts cannot be combined. Payment by Multibanco and MB WAY. Free admission also for members of APOM, ICOM and ICOMOS, journalists and other groups listed in the price list.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The centre is fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car, leave the A42 at the Alvarenga/Lousada junction and follow the signs for the Rota do Românico / Centro de Interpretação.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Café and library in the building.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit