Coimbra – The medieval capital in the heart of scholars

Coimbra city on Go Discover Portugal - students

Coimbra – City of students and scholars and once the home of the Portuguese kings and queens.

Coimbra (pronounced as Queeng-bra) is rich in history, prominent in culture, is the third largest city of Portugal during the high middle ages the capital of Portugal.

History and cultural roots of Coimbra

Coimbra, A City of students and scholars and was once the home of the Portuguese kings and queens.

After the foundation of Portugal in its birth in the city of Guimarães in 1128, the birth town of Portugal’s first King Henrique Afonso, Coimbra was soon to become the first capital of Portugal in 1129

Coimbra (pronounced as Queengbra) is rich in history, prominent in culture, is the third-largest city of Portugal during the high middle ages the capital of Portugal.

Portuguese history is about as diverse as it comes and it’s a mix of many cultures. Some of these cultures remaining marks on the landscape and cities have survived to this day, starting with the Iberian Celts then moving on to the Visigoths, the Romans, the Moors, the Jews, and the Christians not counting the influences of the later acclaimed colonies. After the birth of the country of Portugal and its dependence on Spain, the city became its first capital. Coimbra housed its kings and queens and gave birth to its first university.

Coimbra university

The University of Coimbra is mostly known and visited for its architecturally and historically magnificent university.
The university was founded in 1290, making it one of the oldest in Europe and one of the oldest that has been in continuous operation in the world.

It’s a university with many old architecturally and historically interesting buildings that are visited and admired by a worldwide audience.

After the city ceased to be the capital of Portugal in the late Middle Ages it took its position as a cultural centre and it manages to hold an important part of this position in Portugal to this day.

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The Romans

Even though there are signs that its history possibly reaches back before the times of the Roman occupation in Portugal, Coimbra’s first significant habitation is attributed to the Romans, more specifically, the Roman settlement of Aeminium, who initially inhabited the town of Conimbriga (roughly 10km south of Coimbra).
The Aeminiums left Conimbriga in the year 468, abruptly, to move from the old city of Conimbriga to the current location of Coimbra in need of higher ground as they were looking for more safety from Suebi Germanic invasions.

Even today visiting the archaeological remains at Conimbriga, you can see what a large and rich culture the Aeminiums must have been at this time in Portugal. The Romans were a very important aspect of Portuguese history and also the history of the Portuguese language (rewrite)

In Coimbra, some of the old Roman monuments are preserved and in a very good state.
Throughout the city, you will notice the aqueduct of Saint Sebastion. It stands tall through large parts of the city.
The aqueduct, Aqueduto de São Sebastião is the only remaining really Roman aqueduct in Portugal, although many were built in its likeness.

The Moors in Coimbra

The Moors Coimbra was conquered by the Moors in 713 and it became one of the main thriving commercial centers for trade between the Christian North of which a part is now current Northern Europe and the Islamic South which was the largest part of Iberia and reached large parts of Northern Africa.

In this time Coimbra became a more wealthy city.
The Moorish remains are to be found in some of its street plans and noticeable in some of the arches above the streets, its most impressive remaining structure is the ‘Arco de Almedina’ meaning the gate of Medina. It was once the main entrance through the city wall into the city of Coimbra and even though it has been much changed over time its original design stems from the ninth century. The design was Moorish and much of this is still evident in its architecture.

Historical POI

The Arch of Almedina
Moorish architecture Coimbra

A lot of the remaining architecture stems from the time of the reconquest. The city became Portugal’s first capital in 1117 until 1255. The castle that housed the kings during its capital time. It was destroyed in the 18th century at the order of the famous Marques de Pombal.

Coimbra, like other important cities, also has a darker side when it refers to another culture that in medieval times contributed much to Portugal’s wealth and progress.

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The Jews of Coimbra

the Jews. whether La Convivencia ( the coexistence of Jews, Moors, and Christians) in medieval Portugal really existed is a much-debated topic. Still, the Jews were an important and well-integrated culture in Portuguese society. Their history goes back as far as the Moorish arrivals in Portugal as they were often set in as translators between the Moors and Christians during the Moorish occupation. But their roots in Portugal could go back much further as the Romans expelled them to the Iberian peninsula. In the Middle Ages, at least 750,000 Jews lived on the Iberian peninsula.
Coimbra played a major role in the Inquisition in Portugal and most of its Jewish heritage was destroyed and many Jews were executed, expelled from the country or forced to convert to Christianity.

The Jewish Quarter

What remains can be seen in the Judiaria Velha, Coimbra’s first and oldest Jewish quarter from the 12th century, and the 14th-century Jewish quarter.
The Pátio da Inquisição is an impressive building used by the Inquisition and it was the setting where 11,000 Jewish deaths were decided.

Historical POI

Patio of the Inquisition
patio of the inquisition Coimbra
The Pátio da Inquisição is an impressive building used by the Inquisition and it was the setting where 11,000 Jewish deaths were decided.

Modern Coimbra

Nowadays outside of its many monuments reaching high and prominently displaying its rich historical past, it has much modern influence and architectural extension and the city is spreading vast over the surrounding hills.
It’s still one of the main student metropolia in Portugal and between October and May, it’s a busy and lively student city.

The city has grown thanks to its international student heritage, growth of population, and its acclaimed capital of the center of Portugal and there are literally bars, restaurants, galleries, and cultural events happening all year round.

It’s a bustling lively city filled with the academic ambition of learning, sharing, internationalization, and globalization but it holds strong to its past inheritance, and that makes it a beautiful and actual place to be.

UNESCO World Heritage

The university became a World Heritage site in 2013 and it is visited much by tourists, The city was built on the original mountain the Romans found safe for their move from Conimbriga and spreading out into its hilly and beautiful landscape cut only by the vast Mondego river and all the streams that are born from it.

The surrounding landscape has many ancient and historically important, remote, quiet, and impressive towns. Coimbra is surrounded by natural monuments. Tiny ancient villages are hidden and undiscovered and there are unexpected natural, historical, and cultural surprises wherever you go.

Discover a surprising and fast-growing city in Central Portugal. Coimbra, the original capital of Portugal – A diverse mix of culture, history and academic spirit.

THE PEOPLE OF Coimbra: What do they say!

Filipa C. and Sharon F.

respectively 19 and 18 years old and we met them in front of the Cartola bar in Coimbra. Filipa is currently unemployed and Sharon is a student of language.
Filipa is from Luxembourg and has lived in Coimbra for the last 3 years and Sharon was born in Coimbra
Their favourite bar in Coimbra is the Low-cost bar not far from the Cartola Coimbra.
Favourite Coimbra spots: Terraces and cafes near the Bank of Portugal, Parque Verde, Jardim do Sereia (parque Santa Cruz), and the Botanical Gardens of Coimbra.
What they dislike most is the chaotic traffic of Coimbra.

Motor girls Coimbra

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Andre O.

Coimbra people
Age: 19
Profession: 2nd year Students in psychology at Coimbra University
Was born in Coimbra:
From: Coimbra
Nicest locations: Parque Verde, Botanical Gardens.
Favourite restaurants Coimbra: Restaurante Albatroz
Favourite bars Coimbra: Cartola bar, Assoc. Estudantes What Andre likes most about Coimbra is the Academic spirit culture, history, and scholarly atmosphere, what he dislikes most, with a smile, are “As
Trupes” – which are the older students that impose laws to de-green the newer students. One example he mentioned was the rule for 1ste year students to be back in their dormitories early otherwise they may be punished by having their hair shaved.

Historical POINTS OF INTEREST

University

University of Coimbra

Coimbra University Coimbra is mostly known and visited for its architecturally and historically magnificent university.
The university was founded in 1290, making it one of the oldest in Europe and one of the oldest that has been in continuous operation in the world. It’s a university with many old architecturally and historically interesting buildings that are visited and admired by a worldwide audience. After Coimbra ceased to be the capital of Portugal in the late Middle Ages it took its position as a cultural centre and it manages to hold an important part of this position in Portugal to this day.

PEOPLE: What are they saying

Maria A.

Name: Maria A.
Age: 90
Profession: Chestnut baker and Tremoço seller
Lives in Coimbra: past 83 years
From: Serra Estrela
Maria doesn’t go out to restaurants or bars, as she said her favourite restaurants closed many years ago. She has a few favourite spots in Coimbra, her favourite being the Penedo da Saudade (Rock of Nostalgia), where once D. Pedro mourned his beloved Inës, casa dos Queimados and the st. Michael’s chapel.Maria was left on the Praça 8 de Maio in the centre of Coimbra when she was 7 years old by her father, she has worked there ever since selling baked chestnuts in winter and Tremoço in Summer. Maria will be 91 years old on the 12 of March.maria

Historical POI

Conimbriga, Roman
Conimbriga

Conimbriga the most impressive Roman remains in Portugal.

Even today visiting the archaeological remains at Conimbriga, you can see what a large and rich culture the Aeminiums must have been at this time in Portugal. The Romans were a very important aspect of Portuguese history and also the history of the Portuguese language

aquaduct of CoimbraIn Coimbra, some of the old Roman monuments are preserved and in a very good state.
Throughout the city, you will notice the aqueduct of saint Sebastion. It stands tall through large parts of the city.
The aqueduct, Aqueduto de São Sebastião is the only remaining really Roman aqueduct in Portugal, although many were build in its likeness.

PEOPLE: What are they saying

Prof. Eef v.
Professor Eef

Professor Eef @ Coimbra University

Name: Professor Eef v.
Age: 69
Profession: Professor in physics
Lives in Coimbra: Originally from the Netherlands has lived in Coimbra the past 30 years
From: The Netherlands
Most loved places: The university, Praia da Mira in the Coimbra district, Museu e Centro
Favourite restaurants Coimbra: Se Nova restaurant close to the university
Favourite bars Coimbra: Doesn’t really go out to bars

PEOPLE: What are they saying
Gisela C. and Dana G.
Students Biologie Coimbra

Names: Gisela C. and Dana G.
Age: 20
Profession: 3rd year Students biology at the university
Has lived in the city: for the past 3 years
From: Santa Maria Feira – Oliveira do Hospital
Favourite spots in Coimbra: Botanical gardens, Parque Verde, the Old Cathedral of Coimbra, and the University of Coimbra
Favourite restaurants in Coimbra: Mr. Pizza, Pizza Hut, Dom Espeto, O Serenata
Favourite bars Coimbra: Assoc. Estudantes, Café Tropical, Cartola Restaurante Bar
What Gisela and Dana like most: it’s history and culture. What they dislike most are the steep roads they walk daily to the university.

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