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Portuguese CulturePortugal Culture
Portuguese culture is supported on a past that dates from ancient times into the eras of Roman and Moorish invasion. Portugal, as a country with a long history, is home to numerous ancient architectural constructions, as well as representative art, furniture and literary collections reflecting and chronicling the events that shaped the country and its peoples. It has a large number of cultural attractions ranging from museums to ancient church constructions to medieval castles, which give evidence its wealthy national cultural inheritance. Throughout the centuries, Portugal's arts have been enriched by foreign influences, including Flemish, French and Italian. The expeditions of the Portuguese discoverers released the country to Oriental influences and the revelation of Brazil's riches of gold and jewels fed the Baroque flame in decoration. Architecture Since the 2nd millennium BC, there has been important building in the area where Portugal is located today. Portugal boasts numerous score of medieval castles, as well as the ruins of numerous villas and castles from the epoch of Roman occupation. The Age of Discovery left a heritage of fine architecture in Portugal. The best examples are found in the country's religious constructions and wonderful palaces, most of them showing outside influence harmoniously combined with local traditions. Romanesque and Gothic influences have given the nation some of its maximum cathedrals and in the late 16th century a national technique (Arte Manuelina) was created by adapting numerous forms into a opulently ornamented whole. Modern Portuguese architecture pursues the most advanced trends seen in European mainstream architecture with no constraints, although conserving some of its singular characteristics. The azulejo and the Portuguese pavement are two characteristic aspects of Portuguese-style architecture. Theater The Portuguese were more fanatical about lyric or humorous works and never developed a great Dramatic theatre tradition. Cinema Portugal has an important and wealthy cinematographic panorama, demonstrated in about 100 films made in the last decade and directed by about sixty different directors. The most recognize director is Manoel de Oliveira, he since 1990 has made an average of one film per annum, he is known as the master of the Portuguese cinema and he is respected and recognized as the father of the Portuguese cinema throughout Europe. Oliveira’s long successful career serves as motivation to a new generation of directors in Portugal. He has received international recognition awards and won the admiration of the cinematography community all over the world. Music Portuguese musical traditions are varied and dynamic, including the modern music; they reveal multiple historical, cultural, and political processes of the country. Portugal’s contacts with non-European civilizations from North and sub-Saharan Africa and Brazil have deeply influenced the country’s music. The folk music and dancing and the traditional fado continue the country's fundamental types of musical expression. Portugal is well-known for its music, also among the modern music forms rock and hip hop are very popular. Sports Football began to be popular in Portugal in the final decades of the 19th century, brought by Portuguese students who came back from England. Football is the most popular and practiced sport in Portugal. Besides the football, Portugal has other professional sport competitions, including basketball, swimming, athletics, tennis, gymnastics, futsal, team handball and volleyball among other sports played in this country. Portugal has an ancient martial art called “Jogo do Pau” (Portuguese Stick Fencing), used for self-defense and for duel between young men in discussions over young women. Other sports are the "Jogos Populares", a large diversity of traditional sports played for fun. Portugal Attractions Portugal has a large number of attractions situated in different regions, towns and cities. This includes Evora that is a marvelous walled medieval city; Sintra it is an enchanting town nominated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Fatima is a world-famous religious site, The Azores consist of nine remote volcanic islands; among others beautiful attractions. Portugal Education There are two system of education at all levels of education, the system of public education and the system of the private education. The first Portuguese medieval universities were established in the 13th century, and the national higher education system is completely integrated into the European Higher Education Area. In the higher education, there are two principal subsystems: university and polytechnic education and it is offered in autonomous public universities, private universities, public or private polytechnic institutions and higher education institutions of other types.
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