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IX International Conference on the History of Architecture brings together the international scientific community between Porto and Mealhada
IN RETROSPECT
IX International Conference on the History of Architecture
April 16-18, 2026 | Porto + Mealhada
The 9th International Conference on the History of Architecture, dedicated to the theme “Architecture and Cultural Landscape”, took place between April 16 and 18, 2026, and has established itself as an important international forum for critical reflection on the relationship between territory, heritage and architectural practices.
Organized by the International Network for the History of Architecture, led by CITCEM / FLUP, the initiative brought together researchers, teachers and students from various European and Latin American institutions.
A scientific program structured around the cultural landscape
The meeting began at Casa dos Livros, in Porto, with an opening session attended by institutional and scientific representatives, including Paula Pinto (Director of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Porto), Fernanda Ribeiro (Deputy Scientific Coordinator of CITCEM) and Alfredo Buccaro (Full Professor at the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II).
The opening lecture was given by Juan M. Monterroso Montero (Full Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela), which focused on the construction of memory and the cultural landscape in Compostela, establishing the conceptual framework for the subsequent papers.
Over two days, the scientific program was developed along five thematic lines:
- Building the cultural landscape
- Vernacular architecture and traditional techniques
- Cities, gardens and public spaces
- Religious architecture and the landscape of memory
- Conservation and interpretation of the cultural landscape
The papers covered a wide geographical and chronological range – from the Amazon to the Mediterranean, from the Modern Age to contemporary times – reflecting the complexity of the processes of territorial and cultural transformation.
Cultural and interdisciplinary dimension
In addition to the scientific sessions, the conference included a significant number of cultural activities that reinforced the experiential dimension of the meeting.
They stand out:
- The performance of FLUP’s Fados Literatus Group;
- The wine tasting was promoted by Quinta de Azevedo, a property with medieval origins documented since at least the 12th century, whose wine-growing tradition is an important testimony to the historical construction of the cultural landscape of north-west Portugal;
- The opening of the exhibition “The Art of Gardens in Europe and Portugal: a selection from the Vasco Graça Moura Library”, at Casa dos Livros, curated by Mário Barroca, Professor at the Faculty of Letters of the University of Porto and director of Casa dos Livros;
- A guided tour of the Porto Botanical Garden, led by Paulo Farinha Marques (Professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto).
These initiatives have contributed to an expanded reading of the cultural landscape as a reality that is simultaneously material, sensorial and symbolic.
Opening up to the territory: Mealhada and Bussaco
The third day of the Journey took place in Mealhada on April 18, as part of the celebration of the International Day of Monuments and Sites, reinforcing the link between scientific research, territory and heritage enhancement.
This option has made it possible to give particular visibility to the Bussaco National Forest as a highly important cultural landscape, which is currently part of processes to enhance and recognize heritage on an international scale, including its candidacy for UNESCO World Heritage.
Alfredo Buccaro’s plenary lecture, dedicated to the urban image of Naples between the 18th and 19th centuries, preceded the international round table “Memory and the Future: The Challenge of Cultural Landscapes”, which brought together academics, decision-makers and institutional representatives.
The closing session was attended by a number of people – including António Jorge Franco (Mayor of Mealhada), António Baeta (representing the President of Turismo de Portugal), Alexandre de Almeida (Chairman of the Alexandre de Almeida Group) and Juan Manuel Monterroso Montero – highlighting the importance of the dialogue between scientific knowledge and public policies.
The program culminated with a visit to the Bussaco National Forest and the Palace Hotel do Bussaco, hosted by the President of the Alexandre de Almeida Group, providing a direct experience of one of the most significant examples of cultural landscape in Portugal.
A meeting between memory, research and the future
The IX International Conference on the History of Architecture has consolidated itself as a space for articulating research, teaching and practice, promoting an integrated approach to the cultural landscape as an interdisciplinary field.
The event reinforces the role of the scientific community in building critical and environmentally responsible models for understanding and transforming contemporary territory.
The next edition will be held at the University of Santiago de Compostela, a partner institution of the International Network for the History of Architecture.
April 18th session on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIfBabDRSu8
More info: https://historiadaarquitetura.weebly.com/