Guimarães 2012 – European Capital of Culture Logos

european capital of culture logos
Guimaraes 2012 logo

Last year I was invited by my friend and colleague Tiago Lemos to visit Portugal. So it happened that  in 2012 the city of Guimaraes, Portugal was the European Capital of culture.

The city is famous for  its museums, plenty of monuments, cultural associations, art galleries and popular festivities. During the time it was the capital of culture you could see the graphic identity designs for the occasion all over the city. The main design is created by João Campos. The idea of the logo comes from the shapes of the castle walls and the helmet of the first Portuguese king and founder of the country Dom Afonso Henriques.

It is easy to understand the symbolism of the heart – birth and love to the nation, the allusion to the walls of the castle which is a national monument and one of the seven wonders of Portugal. The reference to the helmet of the King is also valid.

But the main mystery is the explanation of the shape “L”  inside the heart – it is not explained in the conceptual description. For me, this shape is part of a key to your heart – to create new cultural and social experiences.

2012 capital of culture logos
Guimaraes 2012 logo variations

The best thing about this logo is that everybody can create it by themselves and use it  in various situations. If you want to create your own version of the logo try the logo editor.

When I was in the city, I saw the heart in so many versions – from key holder to a big  lighting fountain or 3d model used for decorating showcases, galleries, handy shops and many other.

You can see some of my own pictures below:

capital of culture logos
lingerie showcase design

capital of culture logos
optics shop showcase design

capital of culture logos
Guimaraes 2012 billboard design

If you want to see more of the logo usage – click here.