North Portugal Tourism Guide - Historic Coimbra

Historic Coimbra

The old town is quite compact with sights at intervals up the hill.

A good place to start is halfway along Rua Ferreira Borges passing through the Arca de Almedina, an archway cut through the old town's walls. From here a combination of steep streets and steps lead you uphill passing Se Velha, the old cathedral, and on up to the university buildings with the old university, Universidade Velha, in pride of place on top of the hill.

Universidade Coimbra

Velha Universidade is Coimbra's most notable historic building. It was founded in 1290 and was Portugal's only university until the beginning of the last century. It occupies one end of a wide square, Patio das Escolas, around which are a series of more modern faculty buildings. You enter the old university through the elaborate 17th Porta Ferrea which opens out into a courtyard lined with beautiful whitewashed buildings with the characteristic red tiled roofs that is dominated by the Baroque clock tower nicknamed A Cabra, the goat. Apparently this came about as when it chimed to herald the end of studies the first year undergraduates would be set upon by elder students who would humiliate them without mercy unless they leapt and jumped their way home like mountain goats to avoid them. Good to see ritual humiliation isn't just a British public school past-time!

There are several rooms in the old university you can visit that evoke a bygone era of medieval study such as the Sala dos Capelos, a former examination room hung with dark portraits of Portugal's kings. The highlight of the university is the Biblioteca Joanina, the Joao V Library that was a gift from Joao himself in the early 18th century. It is sumptuous and seems somewhat grand for a place of study with rosewood, ebony and jacaranda tables, Chinoiserie designs etched in gilt and ceilings with beautiful frescoes. The walls are lined with a stunning array of 300,000 ancient leather-bound books that are rarely used these days.

Visitors are only admitted in small numbers at a time and it can get busy meaning that you will need to book ahead. Sometimes rooms are closed for ceremonies. Teachers and students from abroad with appropriate ID can get a 30% discount. The ticket office is just next to the University near Sala dos Capelos. Open Apr-Oct 9 am-7.20 pm. Nov-Mar 9.30 am-5.30 pm. Admission can be a combined ticket for the university and the library or just for the library itself.

The end of the academic year is celebrated by the University's students in exuberant style on the first Thursday in May by the Burning the Ribbons festival, Queima das Fitas. This is a tradition that started when students would wear colour ribbons attached to their gowns to indicate which faculty they belonged to. Come graduation they would ceremonially burn the ribbons and celebrate their success. Events include a midnight fado concert in front of Se Velha, a parade of floats (where participants get free beer!), a week of concerts across the river at the Queimodromo all alcohol-fuelled that often leads to students ending up in the river!

Coimbra's Cathedrals

Coimbra is home to two cathedrals. Both are near the university with Se Nova just down the road dominating the Largo da Se Nova and Se Velha in its own square at the end of Rua Borges Carneiro.

Se Velha is the oldest one built in a fortress-like style in the 12th century. It is a typically simple Romanesque design with the only adornment, the later 16th century Renaissance doorway on the northern wall, that hasn't stood the test of time as well as the original building - it has practically crumbled away. Open Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm. Fri 10am-1pm and Sat 10am-1pm and 2-6 pm.

Se Nova is a 17th century Jesuit foundation that replaced the Se Velha cathedral in 1772. Inside is some intricate over-the-top gilded work. Open Tues-Fri 9am-nonn and 2-5.30 pm. Admission is free.

Between the two cathedrals on the corner of Rua Sao Joao and Rua Borges Carneiro is the former Bishop's Palace. This now houses one of Portugal's most important collections of 14th-16th century sculpture as the Museu Nacional Machado de Castro. Underneath the foundations is a Roman Cryptoportico which is a series of underground galleries thought to be used by the Romans as a granary. Unfortunately these are not open to the public. The museum has been undergoing renovations but is due to reopen in 2007.

Coimbra's Churches

Down in the bustle of Coimbra's shopping district is the impressive Renaissance church of Igreja de Santa Cruz. This dominates Praca 8 de Maio and actually predates the Se Velha although it was largely remodelled by resident sculptors studying in Coimbra. In the early sixteenth century French artists Nicolas Chanterene and Jean de Rouen and Manueline masters Joao de Castilho and Diogo de Boitaca were studying at the major sculptural school of the time in Coimbra. Consequently Igreja de Santa Cruz received a lot of their attention including the Cloister of Silence that dates from 1524 where there is a clear restrained Manueline theme. At the rear of the church is the small Jardim da Manga that is all that remains of the Mango fountain that was once part of the cloister and attached to the Santa Cruz Monastery. There is now a good self-service restaurant here.

Other notable historic monuments are across the river that is reached by the Ponte de Santa Clara. Convento de Santa Clara-a-velha is the old convent that lies beside the River Mondego and dates from 1330. This used to house the tomb of Coimbra's patron-saint queen Isabel but the convent suffered so much from periodic floods that they eventually moved up the hill in 1667 to what is now called Convento de Santa Clara-a-Nova. The tragically murdered Dona Ines Castro had also been buried at Convento de Santa Clara-a-velha but this was moved to Alcobaca to lie next to her lover Dom Pedro 1. The old convent was left and covered in river water and silt for years. Now that river levels are under control restoration work has been ongoing at the old convent to clear the silt and you can see the progress for yourself on a guided tour. Book ahead for an English speaking one. Hourly Tues-Fri 4-8 pm. Sat-Sun 2-7 pm. Tel: 351 239 801 160. In the process various artefacts have been found and are housed in a new museum.

Up the hill in the 17th century Convento de Santa Clara-a-Nova is where Isabel's tomb, a solid-silver casket, was moved and is on display with other artefacts including clothes, statues and aisle panels telling her life story. Her status is also the focus for the Festa da Rainha Santa in early July, a large festival that commemorates the queen-saint. A Thursday procession takes her status from the convent to Igreja do Carmo and another procession on the Sunday takes her back again. The town festival coincides with this one and includes folk music, dancing and fireworks.