Casa onde nasceu Fernando Namora / Casa Museu Fernando Namora

Casa-Museu Fernando Namora in Condeixa-a-Nova is the house where Fernando Gonçalves Namora, one of Portugal's most important twentieth-century writers, was born on 15 April 1919. Today the building is a museum devoted to his life and work, standing on Largo Artur Barreto in the town centre, in the Coimbra region.

Who was Fernando Namora?

Namora (1919–1989) was a novelist, poet and physician who also painted as a sideline. He was born in Condeixa, though his professional and literary life later tied him to other places, Lisbon among them. His library, notes and paintings now form the core of the museum's collection, so a visit shows the author from a personal side as well.

History of the house

The writer's parents rented the building in the mid-1910s. A shop selling fabrics and haberdashery occupied the ground floor, while the family lived upstairs. This is where the future author came into the world. The house was turned into a museum and opened to the public on 30 June 1990, less than a year after Namora's death.

What can you see?

The collection centres on:

• paintings by Namora and works by other artists,
• a reconstructed study, moved from his Lisbon home on Avenida Infante Santo,
• a library of published and annotated books, including copies with dedications,
• manuscripts, original notes, printers' proofs and personal index cards.

The reconstructed study will appeal most to book lovers, since it shows the space where the author's texts took shape.

Planning your visit

The museum sits in the middle of Condeixa-a-Nova at Largo Artur Barreto, 3150-124 Condeixa-a-Nova. Opening hours are listed differently in different sources, so call +351 239 404 411 or check the municipality's website before you go. The coordinates are roughly 40.1127 N, 8.4996 W.

Frequently asked questions

Is this really the writer's birthplace? Yes, Fernando Namora was born in this building in 1919.

Since when has the house been a museum? Since 30 June 1990.

Will I see original manuscripts? The collection includes manuscripts, notes and printers' proofs, though what is on display at any time may change.

Where is Condeixa-a-Nova? In central Portugal near Coimbra, so the museum combines well with exploring the wider region.