To find Coimbra on a map click here

We visited Coimbra on our way south from the north of Portugal in November 2006, we were there for a night and a day, which was only long enough to take photographs of some of the principal buildings and absorb a little of the atmosphere of the city and university.

Coimbra (pronounced Queembra) is situated 208 kilometres north of Lisbon and east of Figuera de Foz on the river Mondego. From 1143 to 1255 Coimbra was the capital of Portugal. It is best known now for its university which was founded in 1290 and is the oldest university in the world. It was the only university in Portugal until the beginning of this century, Lisbon University is now much larger but Coimbra by far the most prestigious.

Much of the architecture in the older part of the city is Baroque (early 17th century); there are two cathedrals, many other churches, beautiful houses and the impressive Museum Machado de Castro.

The Santa Cruz Monastery is well worth a visit, it contains the tombs of Portugal's first two kings. It was founded in 1131, but its flamboyant arch at the entrance dates from the 18th century. Inside is an ornate pulpit and the elaborate tombs of the kings, as well as impressive cloisters in the Manueline style, designed in 1524.

It was in Coimbra that the tragic love story of Pedro and Inês took place in 1355. Pedro,  son and heir of King Afonso IV carried out his father's wishes and married Princess Constanza of Navarre. When Constanza died, he went to live in Coimbra with the woman that he loved, Inês de Castro, a Spanish aristocrat. His father strongly disapproved because he believed that her family was a potential threat to the Portuguese throne, and so had her murdered in Coimbra's Quinta das Lágrimas.  An 18th century mansion built on this site is now an hotel.

When the Afonso died, Pedro succeeded to the throne and took revenge on the two men who had killed Inês by having their hearts torn out. Pedro had married Inês secretly in Bragança, he now had her corpse exhumed and crowned. The court was forced to acknowledge her as queen by kneeling before her on the throne and kissing her decomposed hand. Pedro and  Inês  are buried in the Abbey at Alcobaça, where, at Pedro's wish, they were placed foot to foot so that when they arose on the Day of Judgement, the two lovers would immediately see each other. Both tombs carry the inscription "Até ao fim do mundo", "until the end of the world."  This story is without doubt Portugal's most romantic love story and has inspired much poetry and literature.

Dragging myself back into this century a well known feature in Coimbra is 'Portugal dos Pequeninos' a miniature village established in 1940, with reproductions of the country's most important buildings and of typical houses and buildings from the former colonies. This is great fun for children because the miniature houses are large enough for them to go inside.

Somewhere that I did not visit on this trip is Conimbriga, one of Europe's great Roman archaeological finds and one of the best preserved in the Iberian peninsula, it is sixteen kilometers from Coimbra. It was first a Celtic settlement in the Iron Age, but was occupied by the Romans in the 1st century A.D., who turned it into a prosperous city. It was destroyed during the barbarian invasions, when the Suevi attacked in 468 A.D. The mosaics on the entire site are in almost perfect condition, with incredibly detailed and colourful designs. There are also ruins of temples, a forum, an aqueduct, water conduits, drains, and elaborate piping systems that heated the town's public and private bathrooms and a wonderful museum.  Conimbriga is at the top of my list of places to visit and I hope to go there soon.