Portuguese Center of Photography

Portuguese Center of Photography, (Centro Português de Fotografia), Porto

The Portuguese Center of Photography (Centro Português de Fotografia) is housed in a former 18th century prison, the Cadeia da Relação.

History

The Cadeia da Relação prison was in use until 1974 and the end of the Portuguese dictatorship established by Salazar.

One famous inmate was the writer Camilo Castelo Branco (1825-1890). The building opened as a museum in 1997.

Portuguese Center of Photography, Porto, Portugal. — Centro Português de Fotografia, Porto

Exhibits

Each floor of the prison housed a different class of inmate with the poorest and most dangerous in the dungeons in the basement, women on the second floor and people of rank on the upper floors. The building also included rooms for the prison governor and a small chapel used to minister to the condemned before their execution.

The building has been fully restored with the old cells, workshops and courtyards now transformed into exhibition galleries for the photographs on display.

Portuguese Center of Photography, Portugal. — Centro Português de Fotografia, Porto

The permanent exhibits at the Centro Português de Fotografia include the National Collection of Photography, a collection of historic cameras and photographic equipment on the top floor including spy cameras and classic Kodaks. Other rooms have alternating displays of Portuguese and Brazilian photography with a room set aside for work done by students in Porto.

There are some tremendous views out over Porto from the (barred) windows of the upper floor.