Coimbra – The city of students

Coimbra has been chosen to be the destination of this month. Why? You’ll see along the post. This city is situated along the Mondego river and have been founded in 1290. Coimbra is very beautiful and also very historic.

It’s known for being the student’s city and has more then 30.000 students there. Coimbra ex libris is undoubtedly its university, the oldest in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe.

On June, 2013, the University of Coimbra, High and Sofia, were declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

Coimbra city view

Coimbra is one of the most important Portuguese cities and in the past was one of the capitals of the kingdom. It is strategically located in the country and is bounded by a major river, the Mondego river.

In the following picture you can see where is Coimbra, the city of knowledge.

Coimbra map @ 2013 Google Maps

Coimbra was the birthplace of six Portuguese kings from the First Dynasty. There were four dynasties. In the old days, when the Romans arrived at city, they gave to the city the name of Aeminium. With the growing importance of Coimbra, they abandoned Conímbriga, where the name was derived. Conímbriga was another close city, but in nowadays is totally in ruins and may be a subject for another post in the future because it is very well preserved.

Given the antiquity of the University, Coimbra is also known as the city of knowledge. One of the most iconic buildings that make up the various buildings of the University is the Palace of Schools.

Palace of Schools – Coimbra

The palace is located in a high place where you see a magnificent view over the city.

Palace of Schools – Coimbra

One of the things that marks every place we go is the architecture of the older buildings, especially the icons of Coimbra.

Building entrance – Palace Schools

How you should imagine Coimbra has much to see, and one of the things I made in order to not miss anything, was going to the Turism center, that is very well located near the river, in the lower part of the city, more precisely near the old bridge (Santa Clara Brigde). I said old bridge, because there are two. By the way, there is also a pedestrian bridge that at night is very colorful and very beautiful to see.

Statues in the front of University

I was there 3 months ago, and stayed at Ibis Hotel. For a price of more or less 50 euros, including breakfast, it’s a good choice to spent the night. People were very nice to me and i enjoyed to be there. The Hotel is located by the river.

When I was there was also a large group of people who came for a wedding. I was always finding myself with someone from the group, but something happened to me at least funny. The next day, after having reached Coimbra and after a good night’s sleep, I was raising myself from the bed when I start to hear some noises coming from the other room.
Initially, I not even realize what it was, so I got up and went the bathroom to brush my teeth. It was then that I realized that the couple who was going to marriage were already doing the party when the marriage had not even begun.  🙂

Changing the subject, I usually choose not to include meals when I go to hotels because it takes me freedom. So I found an Italian restaurant not far from the hotel which is right next to the river. The name of the restaurant is “Italian Restaurant“, and i found another blogger also making good references to the restaurant. You can check it here.

If you can’t read Portuguese/Brasilain, at least you can see the pic. If ever go to Coimbra, i really recommend it.

I ate in another restaurant near that one, but I don’t remember the name. It was definitely a family business and very well served, as the price was very economic. The Italian restaurant is not that cheap, but deserves it.

Very near to that restaurant there is another Hotel, an older one, which is called Hotel Astoria and I especially liked the architecture as you can see in the next picture.

Astoria Hotel – Coimbra

Crossing the river to the other side, there is the Monastery of Santa Clara a Velha, “Mosteiro de Santa Clara a Velha” in Portuguese. This monastery only very recently has been recovered, since it was under the water of the Mondego river.

In the past, the river rose slowly invading the Monastery of Santa Clara a Velha, giving rise to the Monastery of Santa Clara a Nova. The new monastery was created to replace the former considering the rising waters of the river.

The name of the monasteries are the same, only changing the last word from “Velha” to “Nova”, that means old for new.

As soon you get to the other side of the river you come across with this view.

“Santa Clara a Velha” Monastery

Monastery entrance

It is quite amazing to think that for many years, very many, that this was always under water.

You have to pay a small amount to see this closely, but in my opinion it deserves it. There you can learn more about the people who lived there and how they lived.

You can check for more information in the next link.

Interior of the Monastery

Climbing a little higher, especially for above the river level, then we have the Monastery of Santa Clara a Nova.

At the entrance we have a magnificent view over the city of Coimbra, but the real beauty is inside.

Church of Santa Clara a Nova Monastery

In this church are the remains of Queen Saint Isabel. She was the wife of the famous Dom Dinis, King of Portugal and the daughter of King Pedro of Aragon and Queen Dona Constance.

Her material and spiritual work was so much in that city, and not also, that from then until the present deserved admiration, affection, reverence and honor of the people of Coimbra to take her and worship her as their patron saint. Pope Urban VIII canonized her in 1625. Hence it is an object of permanent veneration, her mortal remains in the monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova and at the anniversary of her death, the city of Coimbra make worshiping festivals with pomp and circumstance in praise and honor of Queen Saint Isabel.

Interior of Santa Clara a Nova Monastery

Inside the monastery happened to me a funny situation. I entered almost at closing time, and the security man told me to leave by the church exit . So far so good, but after being in the cloister, there was no open door where to exit. I ended up staying there for a few minutes knocking on all doors until one opened up and I could finally leave. To visit the monastery, you have a cost of about € 2 and serves to assist in the maintenance of the monastery and church.

Interior of Santa Clara a Nova Monastery

Returning to the other side of the river, we have two other emblematic buildings of Coimbra. The Old Cathedral and the New Cathedral. Both are visitable and in my opinion should be visited.

The Old Cathedral of Coimbra is one of the most important Romanesque Roman Catholic buildings in Portugal. Unfortunately I had no opportunity to document the Old Cathedral, but when I return to Conímbriga, I go through Coimbra to document the Old Cathedral.

The New Cathedral is located near the historical University of Coimbra in the upper part of the town, and was originally, the church of the Jesuit Formation house of Coimbra, established in the city in 1543. In 1772, the bishopric seat was transferred from the old Romanesque Cathedral of the city (now called the Old Cathedral of Coimbra) to the vacant, spacious and more modern Jesuit church.

Facade of the New Cathedral of Coimbra

The church architecture was influential in the Portuguese colonial world. The facade of the former Jesuit church of Salvador, in colonial Brazil, seems inspired by the Jesuit church of Coimbra. You can know more about in the this link.

Very close to the New Cathedral is the National Museum Machado de Castro who is worthy to be seen. This museum is an art museum and it’s one of the most important art museums in Portugal, and was housed in the former Bishop’s Palace.

During the Middle Ages, this palace was built over the Roman forum of Aeminium (Roman name of Coimbra) and nowadays its remains can be visited on the lower floors of the museum.

Lower floors of the museum

Museum view over the Old Cathedral

The bulk of the museum’s collection is made ​​up of items from churches and religious institutions in the area surrounding Coimbra. The collections of sculpture, painting, precious metals, ceramics and textiles are especially noteworthy.

Museum view of the Palace of Schools

In the upper levels of the Museum there’s a restaurant with a magnificent view over Coimbra and the museum is so huge it is a plus visit it if you like art.

For information only the sports club of Coimbra is the Academica Coimbra and its equipment is black, due to the typical costume of the students of Coimbra, the famous black cloak.

There is much to say about the customs and typical traditions of Coimbra students, but it would give another post. Therefore I speak only in another place I visited and enjoyed, the botanical garden of Coimbra. Admission is free at The Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra and this garden is considered one of the most beautiful of Europe. It can be divided in two parts.

The first part, located at the highest level of the Garden and at the top of the valley, constitutes the most formal area and it is divided in terraces.

The second part of the Garden, including the valley where once a small stream flowed, is the Arboretum Benthic, usually known as Mata of the Botanical Garden.

“Nenúfar” at Botanical Garden of Coimbra

I can only conclude by saying this, Coimbra makes you want to return.

It leaves you with a feeling that there’s still more to see and to know, and personally I think least 3/4 days you can not see everything there is to see.