Designed to mark the festive year of 2001, in which the city of Porto was designated European Capital of Culture, Casa da Música is the first building in Portugal aimed from its conception to be exclusively dedicated to music, either in public performances, or in the field of artistic training and creation.
Casa da Música’s project was set in motion in 1999, as a result of an international architecture tender won by the project presented by Rem Koolhaas-Office for Metropolitan Architecture. Excavations began in 1999, at the old tram’s terminus station in Boavista roundabout (Rotunda da Boavista), and Casa da Musica was inaugurated in the spring of 2005, on April 15th. Casa da Música was planned as a home for all types of music and it is not only part of the urban redevelopment of Porto but also part of a network of cultural facilities, for the city of Porto and for the wider world. Underlying it is an innovative and wide- ranging cultural project, which aims to make an exciting contribution to the national and international music scene, as an arena for all types of musical events – from classical music to jazz, from fado to electronic music, from great international productions to more experimental projects.
Besides concerts, recitals and other types of performance, Casa da Música also organises events for musicians and musicologists and invests in research into the origins of Portuguese music. In addition, it plays a very important role in music education. It is a cultural meeting point between music and other areas of artistic creation and knowledge, providing a space for all kinds of audiences and creators.
How to get to Casa da Música?
By Metro: The nearest Metro station to Casa da Música is the Metro station with the same name – Casa da Música. To go to this Metro Station you can take the following lines: A, B, C, E and F. For more information: http://www.metrodoporto.pt
By Bus: Casa da Música is served by the following bus lines: 201, 202, 203, 204, 208, 209, 303, 402, 501, 502, 503, 504, 507, 601, 803, 902, 903. Regardless of the departure point, the closest bus stop to Casa da Música is a bus stop with the same name – Casa da Música. If you do not have a metro or bus ticket (‘Andante’ or ‘Passe’), you can purchase one on board. For more information: http://www.stcp.pt |
http://www.itinerarium.net
By Train: If you want to get to Porto by train, you should get off in one of two main stations: Campanhã or S. Bento. If you get off at Campanhã, you can take any of the lines that go by Campanhã because any one of them will take you to Casa da Música
without having to transfer. If you get off at S. Bento, the metro station of St. Bento is right outside the train station to the left and is an underground station. You should take the Metro heading towards Hospital de S. João. You will have to make the transfer at the Trindade Station, get on another Metro and then get off at Casa da Música.
