“This Mercado makes me proud to be living here” – writes Eric Roth
After waiting two years, the people of São Bartolomeu de Messines have a beautifully renovated Mercado Municipal. The wait, and the expense of €1.7 million, was well worth it.
The original structure was built in 1948 – I can tell you, that’s old! It was dark, cold, leaky, and not an inspiring environment to buy food. When the renovations began, the loyal vendors and customers relocated to temporary quarters in a nearby space that originally housed the old Intermarché. That’s recycling for you.
The Mercado stayed alive, and even thrived, in the temporary space.
The new Mercado opened to much fanfare and, on the first Saturday, there was excitement, shopping, and rain.
When you enter through the big sliding glass doors, you’ll see a tribute to João de Deus, the father of Portugal’s poets, and S.B. Messines’s most famous citizen.
As you walk in, the expansive glass roof creates a bright, uplifting feeling. Colorful, gleaming tile and painted columns salute a modern look, but the place still has the feel of a traditional market.
This Mercado makes me proud to be living here. It really has style, panache, and attention to detail.
The next step, which the council says is a priority, is to make sure the vendors and customers are drawn to it, and the community continues to embrace its Mercado Municipal.
TEXT & PHOTOS by ERIC ROTH
Eric Roth is a lifelong photojournalist who has recently emigrated from Boston, USA to the Algarve. He loves nature and wildlife. 926 742 687 | [email protected]
