The Côa Valley Archaeological Park is located in the far north of the Guarda district, in the Alto Douro region of Portugal. This area is home to an impressive collection of rock art, with more than 80 sites and approximately 1,200 engraved rocks, spread over a territory of around 200 km² that includes the municipalities of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Pinhel and Mêda.
The engravings are mainly concentrated along two rivers: the River Côa, where they extend for around 30 km, and the River Douro, for 15 km on either side of the confluence with the Côa. In recognition of the heritage and cultural value of these finds, the Côa Valley Archaeological Park was founded on August 10, 1996. The park’s main objective was to manage, protect, research and disseminate these important prehistoric artistic manifestations to the public.
In the northeastern corner of Portugal, an area known for its vast olive groves, you can see nature in two distinct seasonal colors: the almond trees in bloom in early spring, around February and March, and the vineyards dressed in vibrant autumn hues during September and October. A river, an important tributary of the Douro with a widely recognized name, meanders through this landscape. The banks of this river, formed by schist rocks, have over thousands of years become an open-air gallery of ancient art. These rocks are adorned with thousands of rock engravings, a legacy of the artistic instincts of the ancient peoples who inhabited the region.
The Côa Museum, located in the Côa Valley, is the brainchild of architects Camilo Rebelo and Tiago Pimentel, originally from Porto. The project began in January 2007 and was officially opened to the public on July 30, 2010. The museum’s concept was inspired by the idea that the Palaeolithic art found in the Côa Valley represents one of the earliest forms of “Land art”.
This museum, which is among the largest in Portugal, was designed to blend harmoniously into the landscape. It stands on the top of a hill on the left bank of the River Côa, close to its confluence with the Douro. The museum’s design pays homage to the combination of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the prehistoric art of the Côa Valley and the Douro Wine Landscape, merging with the surrounding natural environment in a respectful and aesthetic way.
