From now on we will regularly fun facts here on the website. Facts about the environment, facts about the country Portugal, facts about the culture, facts about the language. In short facts about everything that happened here and play. “Here,” can be anything within a radius of up to 100 kilometers of Bed and Breakfast Casa Traca from Portuguese or general facts. This time Coimbra’s turn.
Between Porto and Lisbon: Facts of the university city of Coimbra.
From our B & B it is easy to visit because it is only a 45 minute drive away. In the month of May the academic year will end with celebrations and parades, it bustles. But the rest of the year is the charming Coimbra with its hospitable people, many attractions, markets and fado music very worthwhile. Coimbra since the fourteenth century, your university town of Portugal and a center of culture and science. This aspect, then and now given the allure of the place. The old city center is gradually constructed and is picturesquely located on the banks of the Rio Mondego. This section is by its narrow and steep streets is best to explore on foot.
Uppertown
The history of Coimbra is closely linked to that of Conímbriga, the Roman town fourteen kilometers away, which has kept the name. As well as its function as a diocese, after the fall of the Roman Empire. Coimbra was first freed from the Moors in 878 and then finally recaptured by Ferdinand the Great, king of Castile in 1064. After that it was from 1139 to 1256 the capital of the nascent kingdom until it was eclipsed by Lisbon. In the beautiful, newly restored museum Machado de Castro’s Roman history, with its underground water sources and channels to see.
The museum is located in the former Bishop’s Palace, which was built in turn over the Roman Forum Aeminium – as the Romans called Coimbra. Around the corner is the Sé Velha, a cathedral as grim symbol of a resilient Christianity.
University
The University of Coimbra is one of the oldest in the world. The colossal faculty buildings that have clearly fascist traits, towering above the city, 100 meters above sea level. It’s nice to walk in and sit at one of the wooden benches college.
In the old Joanina Library (1728) with marble floors and walls with gold leaf, saved more than 30,000 books and medieval manuscripts. The library is open to visitors. From the square you have a beautiful view over the city. Do not forget to visit the Capela de São Miguel not!
The other site of the Rio de Mondego
From the expansive Parque Verde do Mondego, walk over the new footbridge near to the entrance of the thirteenth century monastery Santa Clara-a-Velha. The Clarisse convent housed the two queens Inês de Castro and holy Isabel of Aragon said. The complex was for centuries disappeared under water and in recent years has also been tastefully restored. Last year it received a European prize for the preservation of cultural heritage. The museum displays significant archaeological finds of pottery and glass, in addition to personal objects of the Poor Clares. It has an on-site restaurant and bar.
shopping en dining
Every fourth Saturday of the month there is a popular antiques market on the Praça do Comércio. There are two large shopping malls on either side of the river where all known to get brands: Forum Coimbra and Dolce Vita.
As a student city Coimbra is rich in cheap cafeteria-style restaurants including fluorescent lights and television, where you can eat for a song. There are famous coffee houses as Santa Cruz and Nicola in the center, which is often also performed by fado singers.
De universiteit boven het historische centrum, op de voorgrond de maandelijkse vlooienmarkt
