Pombao Castle’s Visitor Centre / Comoco Arquitectos

The castle of the Portuguese city of Pombal testifies to the power of time as the main contributor for the transformation of the built environment.

The top of a hill overlooking the valley of the Arunca river has been occupied since the time of the Roman empire, and since then performed multiple roles and configured very many spatial and social practices. From a small provincial community, it evolved to a vital defensive structure in a territorial network of military apparatus, and eventually became a touristic destination and an identifying device for the region.

After designing the reorganization of Pombal castle’s hill, Comoco Arquitectos were commissioned to design a visitor centre for the castle’s ward, including the landscaping of the area and the revitalization of the amenities already installed in the Torre de Menagem (the castle’s keep).

Pombao Castle’s Visitor Centre, Pombal, Portugal
Architects: Comoco Arquitectos (Luís Miguel Correia, Nelson Mota and Susana Constantino)
Structural Engineering, Hidraulic and Acoustics: ABL – Gabinete de Projectos Lda
Electric devices: Luís Ribeiro
Mechanical devices: João Gonçalves Madeira da Silva
Client: Pombal Municipality
Completion: 2014