A lecture followed by a guided tour of the temporary exhibition “Forte da Barra – Past, Present and Future” marked this Thursday afternoon at the Port of Aveiro. The event brought together the Port Administration, employees, and partner entities to explore the history of this monument of Portuguese military architecture.
The session began at the Capela Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, which opened its doors to host a lecture by Jorge Branco, a researcher at CIEMar – Centre for Research and Entrepreneurship of Ílhavo, on the history and strategic importance of Forte da Barra. At the end of the presentation, Ílhavo City Councillor Mariana Ramos highlighted the relevance of the exhibition as a way to bring the monument and the Port of Aveiro closer to the community and the region. She also underlined the significant number of visitors who, since the exhibition’s opening, have confirmed the public’s interest and its relevance.
The afternoon continued with a guided tour of the exhibition, offering a detailed explanation of the various panels. The exhibition presents key moments in the history of Forte da Barra, from its military origins to its current transformation into a cultural and tourist site. During the visit, ongoing projects were also presented, including plans for the Port of Aveiro Administration Auditorium and the development of a hotel unit in the buildings of the former Forte da Barra complex.
The exhibition is the result of a partnership between the Port of Aveiro Administration, CIEMar – Centre for Research and Entrepreneurship of Ílhavo, and Ílhavo City Council. It will remain open to the public until the end of August and can be visited at any time of day or night, thanks to the lighting installed on site.
The visit was attended by the Mayor of Ílhavo, João Campolargo, City Councillor Mariana Ramos, representative of the Aveiro Port Community Rui Oliveira, Port of Aveiro Captain Ricardo Guerreiro, Secretary of the Gafanha da Nazaré Parish Council José Falcão, Director of the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo Nuno Miguel Costa, and President of Associação Humanitária de Bombeiros Voluntários de Ílhavo, Pedro Rosa Novo.
