Silkworm breeding and silk craftsmanship is one of the traditions that most characterises the Manueline town of Freixo de Espada à Cinta, which is currently the only town in Portugal where this product is still worked. The Silk and Territory Museum, located in Largo do Outeiro, in the heart of the Historic Centre, in the parish of Freixo de Espada à Cinta, was inaugurated in August 2015 and houses all of the municipality’s ethnographic, archaeological and geological collections. This collection includes all the equipment, techniques, materials and knowledge associated with silk, the iconic image of the municipality of Freixo de Espada à Cinta.

In Freixo de Espada à Cinta, silk is worked 100% by hand, using traditional, centuries-old wooden instruments. Silk culture in the municipality reached its peak at the end of the 18th century and then fell into oblivion. Currently, the revitalisation of this art is underway and, in 2023, its certification process was completed, with Freixo de Espada à Cinta silk now recognised as a Geographical Indication and silk yarn recognised as a PDO – Protected Designation of Origin. In 2022 and 2023, Seda de Freixo de Espada à Cinta was consecutively honoured at the Municipalities of the Year Awards, and has also been present at various national and international events, such as FITUR in Madrid, EXPODUBAI and Portugal Fashion. At the same time, several partnership agreements have been signed between Seda de Freixo de Espada à Cinta and various organisations, including the Castelo de São Jorge in Lisbon.

In addition to all the exhibits and multimedia resources that explain the silk process in detail (from planting the mulberry trees to the final product), the live, real-time work of the local artisans who work here, exhibit and sell the pieces they make, sharing centuries-old knowledge, passed down between generations, with all those who visit this space.