Mining Heritage in Portugal: The Challenges of Architectural Research and In-put

Abstract

Mining heritage in Portugal is an interesting case for architectural assessment and research; not only due to the fact that it is considered a minor architectural heritage in a rural environment compared with other cases of industrial heritage (often in urban settings), but also to the fact that most plans and design pieces of the past interventions that constitute an essential part of understanding the mining settlements and dwellings, are forever lost or expecting to be catalogued. Despite these challenges, the research provided the elements to design a territorial proposal “Cultural Landscape of Alentejo Pyrite” based on three mining sites (Lousal, Aljustreland S. Domingos- Pomarão) – within the Iberian Pyrite, while conveying a methodological approach for mining landscapes mainly illustrated by the proposal’s theme unit of Lousal.