PORTUGAL : Coimbra - History
Coimbra has been a great cultural centre, firstly due to the school
founded in the Santa Cruz Monastery (1131) where Saint Anthony of Lisbon
studied. Coimbra has the oldest seat of learning in Portugal with a
University founded on the 13th of August in 1290 by King Dinis. Coimbra
served as Portugal’s capital from 1143, when Afonso Henriques settled
there, until 1255 when Afonso III moved the capital to Lisbon, where it
remains today
Six of Portugal’s Kings were born here and in 1139 until 1256 it was the
chosen capital of the country. The original name in the Roman period was
Aeminium, and it later developed under the influence of the greater
nearby town of Conimbriga. It has a large archeological site with
extensive ruins dating from the time it was a Roman town called
Aeminium. The cathedral of Sé Velha, built in the 12th century in the
Romanesque style, is still in operation, and it is worth to visit all
the old buildings from the university dating from the 15th century
through to the 18th century, the New Cathedral from the 17th century,
the Monastery of Santa Cruz from the 12th century with the tombs of the
two first Portuguese kings, Afonso I and his son Sancho I, and the
Machado de Castro Museum, the second most important one in Portugal,
after Old Art National Museum in Lisbon.
The city also houses the University of Coimbra General Library,
Portuguese second biggest library, after the National Library in Lisbon,
and the Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra from the 18th
century.
