A Classic Festival and a Renovated Museum of Ancient Art – More Reasons to Visit Evora this July
As if there weren’t already enough reasons to visit Evora (its landmark Roman temple, its creepy Chapel of Bones, and its elegant and well-preserved streets), there is a wonderful festival and the reopening of a great museum this summer. The museum opens today, while the festival takes place from the 7th to the 11th of July. This year it’s the 15th anniversary of this special event, the Classic Evora Festival, presenting 5 magical days of music, art, and cinema, taking visitors to the cultures of the Orient. There are artists from India, Tibet, China, and other regions of the East, with the events taking place at the Palacio Cadaval, a palatial building by the Roman Temple of Diana. Take a look at the official website for the complete program: www.festivalevoraclassica.org
As for the museum, it’s been closed for five years for renovation works, and is now reopening with never-before-exhibited pieces. The Museu de Evora’s (or City Museum’s) rich collection consists of paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and archaeological finds, all housed in a 16th century building now cleaned-up after works costing six million euros. The most impressive display is a series of 13 paintings making up one single work measuring 36 square meters, representing the life of the Virgin. It’s one of the largest Flemish retables in the world, having cost a fortune for the Evora Cathedral where it was to be displayed in 1500.
