Casa da Música: touring Rem Koolhaas's architecture in Porto

Updated on October 18, 2026

The Casa da Música stands on the Boavista roundabout, west of Porto's centre. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas (OMA) and opened in April 2005, it is a concert hall in the shape of an angular white concrete block, like a diamond set down on the square. It is home to the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música and hosts classical, jazz and contemporary concerts. You don't need a concert ticket to see inside: the one-hour guided tour or the self-guided open tour with an audio guide take you through the halls, the staircases and onto the terrace.

Highlights

The building's façade

A white concrete polyhedron with no right angles, which looks different from every side. Walk all the way round it: the large glass windows and the great staircase ramp that sweeps down to the square are part of the design.

The Grande Auditório (Suggia Hall)

The main hall has about 1,240 seats and two walls made entirely of glass that let the city's light in, a rare feature for a concert hall. The walls are covered in a gold-leaf wood-grain pattern. The guided tour goes in when no rehearsal is under way.

Room 2

A room with no fixed seating and walls of perforated plywood painted red, with a capacity ranging from about 270 seated to 650 standing depending on the concert.

The terrace and the staircases

The tour takes in the lounges, the staircases and the terrace on the top level, with views over the rooftops of Boavista.

Practical info

Tips

Guided tour of about 1 hour, every day at 11:00 and 15:00 (Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian; English subject to availability): €12 full price, €5 for 13 to 18-year-olds, free up to age 12 with a paying adult, €9 with the Porto Card (prices checked in October 2026 on the official website). The self-guided open tour with an audio guide (QR codes, bring your own headphones) costs €10 and runs every day from 10:00 to 17:30, subject to availability. Groups of more than 15 people book in advance. Tours depend on the venue's programme, so check at the ticket office on the day. A combined ticket with the Serralves Foundation or with the Ferreira cellars is also available, to be booked in advance. For a concert, check the programme on the Casa da Música website: the acoustics of the main hall are worth a ticket on their own.