Porto's Art and Soul: The art-loving route

Before having his name linked to a House Museum, Fernando de Castro grew up as the son of a merchant whose shop at the end of Rua das Flores sold wallpaper, mirrors, crystal and glassware, and represented the French company Saint Gobain, created to help decorate Versailles.

During his youth, Fernando worked professionally in the family business and witnessed periods of intense change in the history of Portugal. He saw the fall of the monarchy and the rise of the republic, the First World War and the first decades of the dictatorship. Especially during this last period, many medieval buildings were stripped of their gilded woodwork and many artefacts of artistic and religious value.

Possibly Fernando, the collector, poet, caricaturist and designer, was the result of these changes and shaped his habits and tastes by their impact on his life. As a lover of art and culture, he visited art dealers and antique shops, transforming his home, where he lived between the late 19th century and the first half of the following century, into a living work of art.

Between the sacred and the profane, this is one of Porto's best-hidden gems!