Guided Walk Around Renaissance Tavira with Isabel Macieira (25 people maximum)

With the campaign to conquer North Africa, beginning in the early years of the fifteenth century, Tavira became a city of enormous strategic importance. In the late fifteenth century and during the first half of the sixteenth century, this importance brought about major urban development in the city, characterised by the opening of new streets and the construction of major buildings. This importance is still visible in the town´s architectural environment and in its monuments. During the first half of the sixteenth century there were in Tavira two contemporary architectural styles: the Manueline, at the time in building contracts referred to as "the modern buildings" and the Renaissance style, dubbed "the Roman buildings." The Renaissance style in Tavira was developed in particular by the architect André Pilarte who had worked in the masonry yards of the Jeronimos Monastery. Pilarte returned to his home town to plan and direct the construction of the Misericórdia Church, begun in the year 1541. Pilarte established a Renaissance School at this church, and the influence of the architects trained there was felt at a regional level, and also contributed to the national Renaissance. They built churches and civic buildings in this style throughout the Algarve, and even over the border in Ayamonte and Huelva. In this tour we will see samples of these two architectural styles in the different civic and religious buildings of the town.to book contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.