The University Coimbra is indeed the landmark of Coimbra, Central Portugal. It is the oldest university Portugal. Guests of Bed and Breakfast Casa Traca usually do go to Coimbra for a day. Nus a day is way too short with all there is to see. I myself am a big fan of the cathedrals and monasteries but this time all the attention was on the University of Coimbra as well as the botanical garden. The University of Coimbra is rightly on the Unesco list.
Library of the University of Coimbra
Joanina Library
The University of Coimbra has a rich history and is the oldest university in Portugal. The library of the University of Coimbra houses 70,000 complete books divided into 250,000 volumes. The oldest books date back to the 16th century. Today, you can still “borrow” books as an individual. Actually see them provided you have a good motivation. It took 11 years to build the library, namely from 1717 to 1728.
The books and the many wooden ornaments must be protected from moisture and vermin. The moisture can be controlled quite well by the thick walls and teak doors. However, the vermin, insects, were a problem. Until they released a bat family into the library. The bats eat the insects at night so that the books remain undamaged.
Capela de São Miguel
The chapel is one of the oldest places in the university complex of the University of Coimbra. Capela de São Miguel belonged to the first king: D. Afonso Henriques.
You enter the chapel by knocking on the door. The university’s chapel is not free and you must remain in the vestibule. This is also immediately full with a few people.
However, no matter how long the line behind you is take extensive time to look at the many details. Every time you turn a little or stand in a different position you will see something new.
Sala dos Capelos
The tower and tour
For those who do not want to climb the tower of the University of Coimbra, there is also from the Sala dos Capelos a tour of the top floor of the University of Coimbra.
From here you have a beautiful view of the old and new part of Coimbra with all its sights and the Rio Mondego with its many bridges.
The Sala Grande dos Actos is the main hall of the University of Coimbra. The room is better known as Sala dos Capelos because the room is still in use for academic ceremonies such as the defense of thesis papers. Portugal´s first king D. Afonso Henriques attended this hall when Portugal gained independence in the 12th century.
The Sala dos Capelos has a beautiful wood-paneled ceiling.
Before you get to the main hall, you first pass the Sala das Armas. The Sala das Armas was part of the royal wing of the old palace. It houses a series of weapons (halberds) of the Royal Academic Guard. These weapons are still used by archers at solemn academic ceremonies.
Finally, you will enter Sala do Exam Privado, which was an integral part of the royal wing of the palace. It was the royal room, the place where the monarch spent the night. It was also in this room that the first “meeting” between the rector D. Garcia de Almeida and the professors of the university took place, on Oct. 13, 1537, the date of the final transfer of the university to Coimbra. Today, there hang paintings of all the rectors that the University of Coimbra has known.
The other Coimbra
After the “tour” of university, I took the walk to the botanical garden with an adjacent huge bamboo forest. This is definitely a place I will return to more extensively enjoy the many special and impressive places.
Through this visit to Coimbra University and the botanical garden, the latter in a bird’s-eye view, I realize that I am far from having enough of this city.
Okay fair is fair is also because I bought a fantastic inspirational book with so many beautiful images of places I don’t know yet. This makes me want to see even more of Coimbra. The book is available at the B&B and I will keep you updated through my blogs about Coimbra.
Also take a look at Tours Portugal for even more photos of Coimbra.
