{"id":12772,"date":"2020-04-16T18:00:10","date_gmt":"2020-04-16T17:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/?p=12772"},"modified":"2026-06-22T16:40:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T15:40:41","slug":"filigree-an-ancient-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/filigree-an-ancient-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Filigree – An Ancient Art"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the Latin filum and granum, meaning thread and grain. The word filigree leads us to assume that it is a granulated thread. Filigree consists of the combination of delicate and very fine gold threads, which together create several circular patterns, resulting in pieces of incredible beauty.<\/p>\n

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An Art Rooted in History<\/b><\/h2>\n

In Portugal, filigree originated in the pre-Roman civilizations, and eventually evolved over the centuries, acquiring an identity of its own that distinguishes it from other European filigrees. It is a craft technique that requires a lot of patience and skill, which makes the whole process slow and its production limited.<\/p>\n

Produced essentially in the north of the country, the Oporto city tour<\/a>\u00a0makes a pit stop in Gondomar so that you have the opportunity to know some of the local workshops.<\/p>\n

These workshops, which are based on tradition and passed down from generation to generation, allow you to get to know the best of Portuguese goldsmithery. Besides getting to know the tools and meeting the artisans, you can also have the experience of creating your filigree piece, working with the gold threads, and giving life to your own masterpiece!<\/p>\n

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Photo: Arlindo Moura Jewelry<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

You will be amazed by the skill and precision needed to shape a single piece.<\/p>\n

Filigree has a strong presence in the north of the country, but if you are in Lisbon, during the Lisbon city tour<\/a>, you can add a visit to the Filigree Museum. The first museum dedicated to this art.<\/p>\n

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\"Filigree

Filigree museum<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

After a guided tour where you will be explained the importance of Filigree in our culture and all the different steps and tools used in the process of creation, you can always buy a piece as a souvenir to take ho<\/p>me. Filigree is still today considered a work of art and seen as an investment.\u00a0 There are many designs to choose from, let us show you which pieces are most chosen by the Portuguese!<\/p>\n

Cora\u00e7\u00e3o de Viana<\/h2>\n

The Heart of Viana is the most traditional garment and one of the most recognized symbols of filigree. But did you know that it does not represent love? It is a symbol of dedication and worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The idea and request came from Queen Maria I after the birth of her firstborn. Over time, the patterns that shape the Heart of Viana became so popular that we see them embroidered on all kinds of fabrics, giving it the recognition that remains until today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Brincos Rainha<\/h2>\n

In the 19th century, Queen Maria II made a public appearance wearing a small set of Filigree earrings. Which became so popular that from that time on, they became a symbol of wealth and social status. They are also seen as a symbol of fertility because at the bottom of the earring, you can see an inverted triangle, which is a female symbol.<\/p>\n

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\"Filigree

Photo: Rota da Filigrana<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Colares de Contas<\/h2>\n

Bead necklaces are the oldest and most traditional. Viana beads remind us of the Greek beads: they are spherical and hollow inside, which makes them really light. The outside is decorated with a filigree thread and a small dot in the center.<\/p>\n

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\"Filigree

Photo: Museu da Filigrana<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

They appeared because of the difficulty of buying a necklace. This way, women could buy beads by beads until they had enough to make an entire necklace. Even today, it is common practice to offer beads on special occasions such as birthdays and christenings.<\/p>\n

Learn more about this unique technique during your stay in Portugal!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Browse our site<\/a>, and we have many sample custom tours that you can choose from. Or email us<\/a> to create a one-of-a-kind travel program full of amazing experiences.<\/p>\n

Portugal Premium Tours Team<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discover the story of Portuguese Filigree, one of Portugal\u2019s most treasured artistic traditions. Explore its origins, iconic designs, artisan workshops, and where to experience this remarkable craft during your journey through Portugal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12772"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22417,"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12772\/revisions\/22417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premiumtours.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}