Filigree of Gondomar
The Gondomar Filigree is part of the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The craft developed from the 18th century onwards and became the defining activity of Gondomar, a municipality that is still the largest goldsmithing production centre in the country.
The Municipality of Gondomar is known as the most important goldsmithing centre in the country, earning the Municipality the title of “Goldsmithing Capital” in Portugal.
Portuguese filigree is the privileged field in Gondomarense goldsmithing, in gold or silver it occupies a prominent place among the creations of local goldsmiths, also known as “Filigraneiros”.
Handcrafted, it is designed in small-scale, family-run workshops using techniques passed down from generation to generation.
Historical references date back to the Roman period with the exploration of gold mines located in the Pias and Banjas mountains. The presence of this precious metal in the region led to its transformation and the improvement of techniques and knowledge accumulated over the following centuries, which have remained to this day.
The importance of the sector and the need to guarantee its continuity is ensured by the Professional Training Centre for the Goldsmithing and Watchmaking Industry (CINDOR), a school that focuses on training and qualifying future goldsmiths in the region, transmitting traditional know-how associated with the latest technologies.
Created in 1984, CINDOR is the only professional training center in the country specifically established for the goldsmithing sector.
Proud of this legacy and aware of its economic and sociocultural importance, the Municipality has made efforts to preserve and enhance one of its icons, Filigree.
> Discover our Filigree Catalogue where the Heart of Viana is present (click here)
References:
© 7 Wonders of Portugal.
Filigree of Gondomar
Link: https://7maravilhas.pt/portfolio/filigrana-de-gondomar/
Photography: Website - Gondomar Municipal Council / News
