Coimbra (, also , , or ), officially the City of Coimbra (), is a city and a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

. The population of the municipality at the 2021 census was 140,796, in an area of . It is the fourth-largest agglomerated urban area in Portugal after

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

Porto Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...

, and

Braga Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...

, and is the largest city of the district of Coimbra and the

Centro Region The Central Region (, ) or Central Portugal is one of the statistical regions of Portugal. The cities with major administrative status inside this region are Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, Leiria, Castelo Branco and Guarda. It is one of the seven Regi ...

. About 460,000 people live in the

Região de Coimbra The Intermunicipal communities of Portugal, Comunidade Intermunicipal da Região de Coimbra (; English language, English: ''Coimbra Region'') is an administrative division in Portugal. It was created in October 2013, replacing the previously existi ...

, comprising 19 municipalities and extending into an area of . Among the many archaeological structures dating back to the

Roman era In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

, when Coimbra was the settlement of

Aeminium Aeminium was the ancient name of the city of Coimbra, Portugal. The Romans founded the civitas of Aeminium in this place at the time of Augustus, which came under the protection of nearby Conímbriga situated some to the south. The Roman city ...

, are its well-preserved aqueduct and

cryptoporticus In Ancient Roman architecture Ancient Roman architecture adopted the external language of classical ancient Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural styl ...

. Similarly, buildings from the period when Coimbra was the capital of Portugal (from 1131 to 1255) still remain. During the late

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, with its decline as the political centre of the

Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a Portuguese monarchy, monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal a ...

, Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural centre. This was in large part helped by the establishment of the first Portuguese university in 1290 in Lisbon and its relocation to Coimbra in 1308, making it the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world. Apart from attracting many European and

international student International students or exchange students, also known as foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their secondary or tertiary education in a country other than their own. In 2022, there were over 6.9 million international ...

s, the university is visited by many tourists for its monuments and history. Its historical buildings were classified as a

World Heritage World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

site by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

in 2013: "Coimbra offers an outstanding example of an integrated university city with a specific urban typology as well as its own ceremonial and cultural traditions that have been kept alive through the ages."

History

Roman Republic

The city, located on a hill by the

Mondego River The Rio Mondego () or Mondego River is the longest river entirely within Portugal, Portuguese territory. It has its source in Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in Continental Portugal, mainland Portugal (i.e. excluding the Portuguese ...

, was called ''

'' in

Roman times In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman civilisation from the founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingd ...

. The

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

founded the

civitas In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (; plural ), according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the , or citizens, united by Roman law, law (). It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilitie ...

of Aeminium in this place at the time of

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

(63 BC – AD 14), which came under the protection of nearby

Conímbriga Conímbriga is one of the largest Roman settlements excavated in Portugal, and was classified as a National Monument in 1910. Located in the civil parish of Condeixa-a-Velha e Condeixa-a-Nova, in the municipality of Condeixa-a-Nova, it is situa ...

(in

Condeixa-a-Nova Condeixa-a-Nova (), officially the Town of Condeixa-a-Nova (), and often called simply Condeixa, is a town and a municipality in the district of Coimbra, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 17,078, in an area of 138.67 km2. It is located 1 ...

), some to the south. The Roman city was encircled by a wall, and followed an orthogonal plan, with the

cardo maximus A ''cardo'' (: ''cardines'') was a north–south street in ancient Roman cities and military camps as an integral component of city planning. The ''cardo maximus'', or most often the ''cardo'', was the main or central north–south-oriented str ...

and

decumanus maximus In Roman urban planning, a ''decumanus'' was an east–west-oriented road in a Roman city or '' castrum'' (military camp). The main ''decumanus'' of a particular city was the ''decumanus maximus'', or most often simply "the ''decumanus''". In t ...

crossing at the

Forum Forum or The Forum may refer to: Common uses *Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example * Internet forum, discussion board ...

. An aqueduct existed, the remains of which were incorporated into a latter medieval renovation. Aeminium fell under the influence, administratively, of the larger city of ''Conímbriga'', until the latter was sacked by the

Sueves 300px, The approximate positions of some Irminones">Germanic peoples reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 1st century. Suebian peoples in red, and other Irminones in purple. The Suebi (also spelled Suavi, Suevi or Suebians) were a large gr ...

and

Visigoths The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied Barbarian kingdoms, barbarian military group unite ...

between 465-8 and abandoned.David J.J. Evans, Cadogan Guides Portugal (2004), , p.221 It became the seat of a diocesis, replacing Conímbriga. Although Conímbriga had been administratively important, Aeminium affirmed its position by being situated at the confluence of the north-south traffic that connected the Roman

Bracara Augusta Braga (; ) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality had a resident population of 201,583 inhabitants (in 2023), representing t ...

(Roman name of

) and

Olisipo Municipium Cives Romanorum Felicitas Julia Olisipo (in Latin: ''Olisippo'' or ''Ulyssippo'' ; in Greek: ''Ὀλισσιπών'', ''Olissipṓn'', or ''Ὀλισσιπόνα'', ''Olissipóna'') was the ancient name of modern-day Lisbon while it w ...

(Roman name of

) with its waterway, which enabled connections with the interior and coast. The limestone table on which the settlement grew has a dominant position overlooking the Mondego, circled by fertile lands irrigated by its waters. Vestiges of this early history include the

of the former Roman forum (now part of the

Machado de Castro National Museum The Machado de Castro National Museum () is an art museum in Coimbra, Portugal, named after the renowned Portuguese sculptor Joaquim Machado de Castro. It first opened in 1913 and its latest renovation (2004–2012), which included the addition o ...

). The move of the settlement and bishopric of Conimbriga to Aeminium resulted in the name change to ''Conimbriga'', evolving later to ''Colimbria''.

Suebi, Alans and Visigoths

After being subjected to the Roman Empire for a long time, a deluge of

barbarians A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice. A "barbarian" may ...

flooded the Iberian Peninsula in 409, and the Lower Mondego area recognised

Hermeric Hermeric (died 441) was the king of the Suevi from at least 419 and possibly as early as 406 until his abdication in 438. Biography Before 419 Nothing is known for sure about Hermeric before 419, the year in which he is first mentioned; ...

, the landlord of the

Suebi file:1st century Germani.png, 300px, The approximate positions of some Germanic peoples reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 1st century. Suebian peoples in red, and other Irminones in purple. The Suebi (also spelled Suavi, Suevi or Suebians ...

, as its ruler. But the ambition to gain territory drove

Ataces Addac or Attaces (died 418) was king of the western Alans in Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula, modern Spain and Portugal). In 409, the Alans settled in the provinces of Lusitania and Carthaginiensis: ''Alani Lusitaniam et Carthaginiensem provincias, ...

, king of the

Alans The Alans () were an ancient and medieval Iranian peoples, Iranic Eurasian nomads, nomadic pastoral people who migrated to what is today North Caucasus – while some continued on to Europe and later North Africa. They are generally regarded ...

, to take Coimbra from Hermeric. Ataces, the new lord of Coimbra, depopulated and devastated it fearing the security of its fortresses. Delighted, however, with the beauty of Lower Mondego, and with the fertility of its fields, he laid beside it the foundations for a new city which was called ''Colimbria''. Ataces converted to Christianity, but being

arian Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered he ...

by sect persecuted catholics with ferocity. The prisoners were either beheaded before the walls of the new city, their bodies serving as foundations, or employed like cargo donkeys in its construction. Nobody escaped the tyranny of Ataces: he ordered everyone to work on the construction of the walls.

Elipando Elipandus (717–805) was a Spanish Christian theology, theologian and the archbishop of Toledo from 782. He was condemned by the Catholic Church as an Spanish Adoptionism, Adoptionist. Six letters written by Elipandus survive, including one to ...

, the holy Bishop of Coimbra was also there holding the stone and the clay for the works of the city. “Passing by the new Coimbra (says Arisberto, Bishop of Porto, writing to Samerico,

Archbishop of Braga The Archdiocese of Braga () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Portugal. It is known for its use of the Rite of Braga, a use of the liturgy distinct from the Roman Rite and other Latin liturgical ...

), there I saw working in the construction of their walls many Ministers of God; among them, at the orders of Ataces, was also Bishop Elipando: I cried with them for their misfortune and for the loss of this fertile province of the Roman Empire.” Hermeric of the northern Kingdom of the Suebi, whose the capital was

(former name of Braga), did not lose hope of rescuing the lands that had been taken by Ataces in the south. He crossed the

Douro river The Douro (, , , ; ; ) is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta ...

and appeared with his army before the new walls of Coimbra. But Ataces triumphed and followed Hermeric's retreating army to the banks of Douro, further north, where the Suebi landlord would buy from him, in exchange for his daughter, peace and an alliance. Ataces, crowned with the laurels of victory continued with great fervor the rebuilding of the city he had plundered before. Hermeric visited him in Colimbria bringing him his daughter, princess

Cindazunda Cindazunda was the daughter of Hermeric, king of the Suebi in the territory that would become Spain's Galiza and both the Norte Region and the Centro Region of Portugal. She married Attaces, king of the Alans, in the early 5th century. This Suebi p ...

, who had been flourishing in age and beauty. Ataces, in order to show his gratitude had the picture of his new wife placed in a vase, with a serpent on one side and a lion walking towards her on the other. Those were the insignias of Ataces (lion) and Hermeric (serpent). Cindazunda had her eyes lifted up the sky and her hands raised as if thanking the Eternal for having been the medium between the father and the husband and having united with bonds of peace and friendship the serpent and the lion, up until that moment, enemies. As the walls and towers of the city were being built, the workers carved on the stones this insignia so pleasant to the King, that until today, has been the coat of arms of Coimbra. Cindazunda, professing Catholicism, established the bonds of peace between the two kings and improved the fortunes of the inhabitants of Coimbra mitigating the ferocious spirit of Ataces against the catholics. The

would conquer the region later. During the Visigothic era (from the 5th to the early 8th century), the

County of Coimbra The County of Coimbra ( Old Galician: ''Comtato de Coimbra'') was a political entity consisting of the lands of Coimbra, Viseu, Lamego and Santa Maria da Feira, in modern Portugal. History Counts of the Christians of Coimbra During the Visig ...

was created by king

Wittiza Wittiza (''Witiza'', ''Witica'', ''Witicha'', ''Vitiza'', or ''Witiges''; 687 – probably 710) was the king of the Visigoths from 694 until his death, co-ruling with his father, Egica, until 702 or 703. Joint rule Early in his reign, Egica m ...

(c. 687 – probably 710) and it was a sub-county of his dominion, established as a fief for his son prince Ardabast (or

Sisebuto Sisebut (; ; also ''Sisebuth'', ''Sisebur'', ''Sisebod'' or ''Sigebut''; 565 – February 621) was King of the Visigoths and ruler of Hispania, Gallaecia, and Septimania from 612 until his death in 621. His rule was marked by forced Christian ...

), with its seat in ''Emínio'' (the Visigothic name for Coimbra), which persisted until the Muslim invasion from the south.

Islamic Era

The first Muslim campaigns that occupied the Iberian Peninsula occurred between 711 and 715, with Coimbra capitulating to Musa bin Nusair in 714. Although it was not a large settlement, Qulumriyah (), in the context of

Al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...

, was the largest agglomerated centre along the northern Tagus valley, and its principal city boasted a walled enclosure of 10 hectares, supporting between 3000 and 5000 inhabitants. Remnants of this period include the beginnings of the

Almedina Almedina is a municipality in Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha, Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmo ...

, Arrabalde and the fortified palace used by the city's governor (which was later converted into the Royal Palace by the early Portuguese monarchs). The Christian

Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...

forced the

Banu Dānis The Banū Dānis (), also known as ''Banū Abī Dānis'' or ''Banū Adānis'', were a clan of the Berber tribe of Awsāǧa (also Awsaŷa, 'Awsaja, Aussaya). The 'Awsāǧa, in turn, belonged to the tribal confederation of MasmudaHelena de Felipe: '' ...

and the other Muslims to flee the region. The Moors rearmed and managed to retake the castle in 987–1064 and again in 1116, capturing two castles constructed to protect the territory: in Miranda da Beira (where the garrison was slaughtered) and in Santa Eulália (where the governor surrendered his forces rather than facing a similar massacre). The Christian armies however, continued pushing south until they reached the Algarve and expelled the last Muslim outposts.

Middle Ages

The reconquest of the territory was attained in 1064 by King

Ferdinand I of León and Castile Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...

, who appointed Dom

Sisnando Davides Sisnando Davides (died 25 August 1091) was a Mozarab nobleman and military leader of the Reconquista, born in Tentúgal, near Coimbra. He was a contemporary and acquaintance of El Cid, but his sphere of activity was in Iberian Peninsula, Iberia ...

to reorganize the economy and administer the lands encircling the city. The County of Portucale and the

were later integrated into one dominion under the stewardship of Henry of Burgundy by

Alfonso VI of León and Castile Alfonso VI (1 July 1109), nicknamed the Brave (''El Bravo'') or the Valiant, was king of Kingdom of León, León (10651109), Kingdom of Galicia, Galicia (10711109), and Kingdom of Castile, Castile (10721109). After the conquest of Toledo, Spai ...

in 1096, when Henry married Alfonso's illegitimate daughter

Theresa Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; ) is a feminine given name. It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Classical Greek, Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or rea ...

. Henry expanded the frontiers of the County, confronting the

Moorish The term Moor is an exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a single, distinct or self-defi ...

forces, and upon his death in 1112, Theresa, Countess of Portucale and Coimbra, unified her possessions. Their son,

Afonso Henriques Dom Afonso IOr also ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonso'' ( Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin version), sometimes rendered in English as ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', depending on the Spanish or French influence ...

, who took up residence in the ancient seat of the Christian County of Coimbra, sent expeditions to the south and west, consolidating a network of castles that included

Leiria Leiria () is a city and municipality in the Central Region, Portugal, Central Region of Portugal. It is the 2nd largest city in that same region, after Coimbra, with a municipality population of 128,640 (as of 2021) in an area of . It is the seat o ...

, Soure, Rabaçal,

Alvorge Alvorge is a civil parish of the municipality of Ansião Ansião () is a municipality in Leiria District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 13,128,Ansião Ansião () is a municipality in Leiria District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 13,128, During the 12th century, Afonso Henriques administered an area of fertile lands with river access and protected by a fortified city, whose population exceeded 6000 inhabitants, including

magnate The term magnate, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...

s, knights and high clergy. The young

Infante Infante (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as "infant" or translated as "prince", is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to the ...

encouraged the construction of his seat, funding the

Santa Cruz Monastery The Monastery of the Holy Cross (), also known as the Church of the Holy Cross, is a National Monument in Coimbra, Portugal. Because the first two kings of Portugal are buried in the church it was granted the status of National Pantheon. Found ...

(the most important Portuguese

monastic Monasticism (; ), also called monachism or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities. Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches, especially ...

institution at the time, founded in 1131 by

Theotonius Theotonius (c. 1082 - 1162) was a Canon Regular and royal advisor. He is noted in Portugal, for being the first prior of the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Coimbra, Portugal. He is celebrated as the reformer of religious life in Portugal, and is ...

), promoted the construction of the Old Cathedral, reconstructed the original Roman bridge in 1132, and repaired and renovated fountains, kilns, roads and stone pavements, as well as the walls of the old city. In order to confirm and reinforce the power of the ''

concelho Concelho () is the Portuguese-language term for municipality, referring to the territorial subdivision in local government. In comparison, the word ''município'' () refers to the organs of State. This differentiation is still in use in Portugal ...

'' (municipality) he conceded a formal

foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The ''Carta de Foral'', or simply ''Foral'', was a royal document in Portugal and its former empire, whose purpose was to establish a ''concelho'' (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and priv ...

(charter) in 1179. Already in the

, Coimbra was divided into an upper city (''Cidade Alta''), where the

aristocracy Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense Economy, economic, Politics, political, and soc ...

and the clergy lived, and the merchant, artisan and labour centres in the lower city (''Cidade Baixa'') by the

, in addition to the old and new Jewish quarters. The city was encircled by a fortified wall, of which some remnants are still visible like the Almedina Gate (''Porta da Almedina''). Pt-coias-mosteiro-staclara

Meanwhile, on the periphery, the municipality began to grow in various agglomerations, notably around the monasteries and convents that developed in Celas, Santa Clara,

Santo António dos Olivais Santo António dos Olivais, commonly shortened to Olivais, is an urban freguesia, civil parish in the List of municipalities of Portugal, municipality of Coimbra Municipality, Coimbra in Portugal, making up the eastern part of the historic city of ...

. The most important work in

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...

style in the city is the

Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha The ruins of the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha (Old St. Clare) are located in the city of Coimbra, in Portugal. The monastery was built in the 14th century on the left bank of the Mondego River, but had to be abandoned in the 17th century due t ...

, founded on the left side of the river Mondego by Queen

Elizabeth of Portugal Elizabeth of Portugal (''Elisabet'' in Catalan, ''Isabel'' in Aragonese, Portuguese and Spanish; 1271 – 4 July 1336), also known as Elizabeth of Aragon, was Queen of Portugal from 1282 to 1325 as the wife of King Denis. She is venerated as ...

in the first half of the 14th century. It stood too close to the river, and frequent floods forced the nuns to abandon it in the 17th century, when the

Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova The Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova () is a monastery in Coimbra, Portugal. It was built to replace the mediaeval Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha, located nearby, which at the time was prone to frequent flooding by the waters of the Mondego river ...

was built uphill. The Queen's magnificent Gothic tomb was also transferred to the new convent. The ruins of the old convent were excavated in the 2000s, and can be seen today on the left bank of the river.

Renaissance

In the 15th and 16th centuries, during the

Age of Discovery The Age of Discovery (), also known as the Age of Exploration, was part of the early modern period and overlapped with the Age of Sail. It was a period from approximately the 15th to the 17th century, during which Seamanship, seafarers fro ...

, Coimbra was again one of the main artistic centres of Portugal thanks to both local and royal

patronage Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...

. Coimbra

bishops A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

religious orders A religious order is a subgroup within a larger confessional community with a distinctive high-religiosity lifestyle and clear membership. Religious orders often trace their lineage from revered teachers, venerate their founders, and have a d ...

and

King Manuel I Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate (), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, as monarch. Manue ...

supported artists like Diogo Pires (father and son), Marcos Pires,

João de Castilho João de Castilho (c. 1470–c. 1552), also known as Juan de Castillo was a Castilian and a notable Iberian architect born in Castillo Siete Villas, actually Arnuero (Cantabria). He is recognisably one of the premier architects in Portuguese ...

, Diogo de Castilho and the Frenchmen, João de Ruão and Nicholas of Chanterene, among others, who left important

Manueline The Manueline (, ), occasionally known as Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese architectural style originating in the 16th century, during the Portuguese Renaissance and Age of Discoveries. Manueline architecture inco ...

and

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

works in the town. Dating from this period are the remodelling (in Manueline style) of the

, including the tombs of Kings

and Sancho I, the Renaissance Manga Fountain, and the altarpieces and triumphal portal of the Old Cathedral, among other works. Library of the Universtity of Coimbra

The

University of Coimbra The University of Coimbra (UC; , ) is a Public university, public research university in Coimbra, Portugal. First established in Lisbon in 1290, it went through a number of relocations until moving permanently to Coimbra in 1537. The university ...

, was founded as a

Studium Generale is the old customary name for a medieval university in medieval Europe. Overview There is no official definition for the term . The term ' first appeared at the beginning of the 13th century out of customary usage, and meant a place where stud ...

in Lisbon in 1290 by King Dinis I. The University was relocated to Coimbra in 1308, but in 1338 King D. Afonso IV returned the University to Lisbon. The University was definitively transferred to the premises of Coimbra Royal Palace in 1537 by King John III, and expanded by 1544 to occupy the Coimbra Royal Palace. Since then, city life has revolved around the state-run university. For many decades, several colleges (''colégios'') established by the religious orders provided an alternative to the official institution, but were gradually discontinued with the secularization of education in Portugal. Built in the 18th century, the Joanina Library (''Biblioteca Joanina''), a

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

library, is another notable landmark of the ancient university. The

University Tower (''Torre da Universidade'') designed by

António Canevari Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular m ...

and built between 1728 and 1733, is an iconic monument of the city.

Baroque and modern

In 1772, the

Marquis of Pombal A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or widow) ...

, prime minister of King

José I '' Dom'' Joseph I (; 6 June 1714 – 24 February 1777), known as the Reformer (Portuguese: ''o Reformador''), was King of Portugal from 31 July 1750 until his death in 1777. Among other activities, Joseph was devoted to hunting and the opera. H ...

, undertook a major reform of the university, where the study of the sciences assumed vast importance. The collections of scientific instruments and material acquired then are now gathered in the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra, and constitute one of the most important historical science collections in Europe. However, his desire to modernize the university resulted in the complete demolition of Coimbra's medieval city walls and castle, very little of which remains today. In the same year,

Luísa de Jesus Luísa de Jesus (10 December 1748 – 1 July 1772), known as The Foundling Wheel Killer (Portuguese: ''A Assassina da Roda'') and Luiza de Jesus (the way her name was spelled at the time), was a Portuguese delivery worker, baby farmer, fraudst ...

, a local 23-year-old woman, was

sentenced to death Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...

for multiple

infanticide Infanticide (or infant homicide) is the intentional killing of infants or offspring. Infanticide was a widespread practice throughout human history that was mainly used to dispose of unwanted children, its main purpose being the prevention of re ...

becoming the last woman to be executed in the country's history. She is also considered the deadliest

serial killer A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone: * * * * * (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...

in Portuguese crime history. The first half of the 19th century was a difficult period for Coimbra, being invaded by French troops under the command of

Andoche Junot Jean-Andoche Junot, Duke of Abrantes (; 25 September 1771 – 29 July 1813) was a French military officer who served in the French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting fro ...

and

André Masséna André Masséna, prince d'Essling, duc de Rivoli (; born Andrea Massena; 6 May 1758 – 4 April 1817), was a French military commander of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original eighteen Marshal of the ...

during the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

. A force of 4,000 Portuguese

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

led by

Nicholas Trant Nicholas Trant (1769-1839) was a British Army officer of Irish descent who led Portuguese irregular troops in several actions during the Peninsular War. His best known exploits were the recapture of Coimbra from the French in October 1810 and the s ...

dealt Masséna a heavy blow when it recaptured the city on 6 October 1810. In March 1811, the militia successfully held the place against the retreating

French army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

. The city recovered in the second half of the 19th century with infrastructure improvements like the

telegraph Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...

, gas light, the railway system, a railway bridge over the Mondego River and the renovation of the Portela bridge, in addition to the broadening of roads and expansion of the city into the Quinta de Santa Cruz. IgrejaSAntonioOlivais

By 1854, with the expulsion of the religious orders and municipal reforms, the need to reorganize the municipality of Coimbra forced some changes in the existing structure of the administrative divisions. Consequently, documents were sent (on 20 January 1854) to the Ministries of Ecclesiastical Affairs () and Justice () urging the identification by the Civil Governor and Archbishop of Coimbra (Manuel Bento Rodrigues) of the number of civil parishes to preserve, their limits, the political organs to be retained, a local census and other statistics to justify the demarcation of the territory., p. 2-3 A commission of five members, which included João Maria Baptista Callixto, António dos Santos Pereira Jardim, Roque Joaquim Fernandes Thomás, João Correia Ayres de Campos and António Egypcio Quaresma Lopes de Carvalho e Vasconcelos, was appointed to produce a plan to reduce, suppress, demarcate and establish civil parishes in the city of Coimbra and its suburbs.

Republic

On 1January 1911, electric tramways were inaugurated to connect the old quarter with its expanding periphery, which included the residential areas of Celas, Olivais, Penedo da Saudade and Calhabé, all located in the civil parish of

. This was only the initiation of the municipality growth. Civil construction projects throughout the region marked the economic activity of the territory, with new areas such as Montes Claros, Arregaça, Cumeada and Calhabé growing in the shadow of the city. Even projects that had been planned at the end of the 19th century gained new initiative, including the expansion of the Santa Cruz neighbourhood (''bairro''), the demolition of the residential area of the Alta de Coimbra (1940–50) to expand the university, and construction or expansion of the bairros of Celas, Sete Fontes and Marechal Carmona (now the bairro of Norton de Matos).

Geography

One of the nation's most important crossroads, Coimbra was historically at a junction between Braga and Lisbon, and its river access (the Mondego flows through the municipality) provided a route between the interior communities and the coastal towns (including the seaside city of

Figueira da Foz Figueira da Foz (), officially Figueira da Foz City (), often called simply Figueira for short, is a city and a municipality in the Coimbra District, in Portugal. Practically at the midpoint of the Iberian Peninsula's Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coa ...

, west of Coimbra). The historic city of Coimbra is located centrally within the municipality, connected to Lisbon () and Porto () by the IC2, IP3 and A1 motorways. p. 5-13 The municipality is circled by several of its neighbouring municipalities in the

, which include

Penacova Penacova ( or ) is a town and a municipality in the Coimbra District, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 15,251, in an area of 216.73 km2. Parishes Administratively, the municipality is divided into 8 civil parishes ('' freguesias''): ...

(in the northeast),

Vila Nova de Poiares Vila Nova de Poiares () is a municipality in the Coimbra district, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,281, in an area of 84.45 km². This place has rivers such as Alva, Ceira and Mondego. There are also mountains. Vila Nova de Poiares i ...

(to the east),

Miranda do Corvo Miranda do Corvo (), officially the Town of Miranda do Corvo (), is a town and a Concelho, municipality in the Portugal, Portuguese Coimbra District, district of Coimbra, with an area of and 2011 population of 13,098 inhabitants. History The fi ...

(to the southeast),

(to the south and southwest),

Montemor-o-Velho Montemor-o-Velho (), officially the Town of Montemor-o-Velho (), is a town and municipality of the Coimbra District, in Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 26,171, in an area of 228.96 km². History In 711, the Arab oc ...

(to the west), Cantanhede (to the northwest) and

Mealhada Mealhada () is a city and a municipality located in Aveiro District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 20,428, in an area of 110.66 km2. It had 17,043 eligible voters (2006). The city of Mealhada itself has a population of 4,522.

(in the north and northeast). Just outside the municipality, there are also several picturesque mountain towns such as

Lousã Lousã (), officially Lousã Town (), is a town and municipality in the district of Coimbra, in the central part of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 17,604, in an area of 138.40 km2. History The oldest evidence provides an indication of ...

and

, while spa towns and villages, such as Luso, Buçaco and

Curia Curia (: curiae) in ancient Rome referred to one of the original groupings of the citizenry, eventually numbering 30, and later every Roman citizen was presumed to belong to one. While they originally probably had wider powers, they came to meet ...

are commonplace. Although it ceased serving as the capital of

in the 13th century, Coimbra retains considerable importance as the centre of the former Beira province, now designated the

Centro Centro may refer to: Places Brazil *Centro, Santa Maria, a neighborhood in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * Centro, Porto Alegre, a neighborhood of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * Centro (Duque de Caxias), a neighborhood of Du ...

region. It is considered alongside

one of the two most important regional centres in Portugal outside the

and

metropole A metropole () is the homeland, central territory or the state exercising power over a colonial empire. From the 19th century, the English term ''metropole'' was mainly used in the scope of the British, Spanish, French, Dutch, Portugu ...

s, the centre for the whole middle region of the country. With a dense urban grid, the municipality is known primarily for the city of Coimbra, itself famous for its monuments, churches, libraries, museums, parks, nightlife, healthcare and shopping facilities. Above all, its cultural life, oriented around the

, has historically attracted the nation's notable writers,

artists An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

s and

, securing its reputation as the ''Lusa-Atenas'' (Lusitanian

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

Ecoregions/protected areas

The western edge of Coimbra is covered by the '' Reserva Natural do Paul de Arzila'' (''Arzila Swamp Natural Reserve''), which is designated both as a ''Special Protection Zone'' () and ''Special Conservation Zone'' (), coincident with the civil parish of Arzila (sometimes referred to as the ''Paul de Arzila'' or ''marsh of Arzila''). It is a

wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

that has sheltered migratory birds, and supports other animal and plant species; this has included predominantly avian species, such as the:

Eurasian reed warbler The common reed warbler (''Acrocephalus scirpaceus'') is an Old World warbler in the genus '' Acrocephalus''. It breeds across Europe into the temperate western Palaearctic where it is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a re ...

(''Acrocephalus scirpaceus''),

sedge warbler The sedge warbler (''Acrocephalus schoenobaenus'') is an Old World warbler in the genus ''Acrocephalus (bird), Acrocephalus''. It is a medium-sized warbler with a brown, streaked back and wings and a distinct pale supercilium. Sedge warblers are ...

(''Acrocephalus schoenobaenus''),

melodious warbler The melodious warbler (''Hippolais polyglotta'') is an Old World warbler in the tree warbler genus ''Hippolais''. It breeds in southwest Europe and northwest Africa. It is bird migration, migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. This small pas ...

(''Hippolais polyglotta''),

willow warbler The willow warbler (''Phylloscopus trochilus'') is a very common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and the Palearctic, from Ireland east to the Anadyr River basin in eastern Siberia. It is strongl ...

(''Phylloscopus trochilus''), little bittern (''Ixobrychus minutus''),

great reed warbler The great reed warbler (''Acrocephalus arundinaceus'') is an insectivorous bird in the family Acrocephalidae. It is a medium-sized passerine bird and the largest of the European warblers. It breeds throughout mainland Europe and the Western Pa ...

(''Acrocephalus arundinaceus''), and the

Savi's warbler Savi's warbler (''Locustella luscinioides'') is a species of Old World warbler in the genus ''Locustella''. It breeds in Europe and the western Palearctic. It is bird migration, migratory, wintering in northern and sub-Saharan Africa. This small ...

(''Locustella luscinioides''). The 482 hectare area, under threat from industrial, residential and

agricultural pollution Agricultural pollution refers to biotic and abiotic byproducts of farming practices that result in contamination or degradation of the environment and surrounding ecosystems, and/or cause injury to humans and their economic interests. The po ...

, expansion of aquatic plants and

eutrophication Eutrophication is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in the water; ie. the process of too many plants growing on the s ...

, has forced the governmental reorganization of land use in order to promote models of sustainability, and rural use that does not affect the migratory and aquatic bird populations. The municipal government has also promoted the installation and maintenance of various

parks A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...

playgrounds A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates Play (activity)#Children, play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for othe ...

gardens A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...

and forests, including the development of the

Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra The Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra ( or simply ''Jardim Botânico'') is a botanical garden in Coimbra, Portugal. In 2013, UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of spe ...

(considered the fifth oldest in the world), the '' Mata Nacional do Choupal'', the ''Mata Nacional de Vale de Canas'', ''Jardim da Sereia'' (also known as ''Santa Cruz Garden''), '' Penedo da Saudade'', ''Parque Manuel Braga'', ''Parque Verde do Mondego'', ''Choupalinho'', and the 19th century

Quinta das Lágrimas Quinta may refer to: * Quinta (estate) in Portugal * Quinta (musician), British multi-instrumentalist * In medieval music theory, alternative term for diapente (perfect fifth) * ''Quinta'' (skipper), genus of butterflies * Claudia Quinta, Roman ma ...

estate and gardens. Complementing these natural spaces are the riverside parks and bathing areas that line the Mondego, including the river beaches of Palheiros do Zorro, in the parish of Torres do Mondego. The city is on

the Portuguese Way The Portuguese Way (, ) is the name of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes starting in Portugal. It begins at Porto or Lisbon. From Porto, along the Douro River, pilgrims travel north crossing the five main rivers—the Ave, Cávado, Neiva, ...

of the Road of St James (Caminho de Santiago).

Climate

Coimbra has a

hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Csa''). In winter, temperatures range between at day and at night, occasionally dropping below , with an average of 19 days with frost per year; while summer temperatures range between at day and at night and can reach or more in hotter days. Coimbra has around 32 days a year with maximum temperatures above . The lowest and highest temperatures ever recorded in Coimbra were on 27 January 1976 and . Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, except for July and August. Despite being relatively distant from the coast, Coimbra also has a marked Atlantic influence due to the

floodplain A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river. Floodplains stretch from the banks of a river channel to the base of the enclosing valley, and experience flooding during periods of high Discharge (hydrolog ...

of the

which crosses the city, making both its winters and summers milder than they would otherwise be. This influence also makes cold waves less frequent and less intense, however, days with negative minimum temperatures and cold waves are still present occasionally. Topography is also an important factor to consider in regard to nighttime temperatures, the presence of cold air lakes, in topographically depressed areas at certain synoptic situations, can also lead to pronounced colder temperatures.

Human geography

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 18 civil parishes (''

freguesias (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Portuguese overs ...

''): * Almalaguês * Antuzede e Vil de Matos * Assafarge e Antanhol * Brasfemes * Ceira *

Cernache Cernache is a civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ), officially the City of Coimbra (), is a city and a concelho, municipality in Portugal. The population of the municipality at the 2021 census was 140,796, in an ...

* Coimbra (Sé Nova, Santa Cruz, Almedina e São Bartolomeu) * Eiras e São Paulo de Frades *

São João do Campo São João do Campo is a civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ), officially the City of Coimbra (), is a city and a concelho, municipality in Portugal. The population of the municipality at the 2021 census was 140, ...

* São Martinho de Árvore e Lamarosa *

São Martinho do Bispo e Ribeira de Frades São Martinho do Bispo e Ribeira de Frades (officially União das Freguesias de São Martinho do Bispo e Ribeira de Frades) is a civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ), officially the City of Coimbra (), is a city a ...

São Silvestre The Saint Silvester Road Race () is a long-distance running event, the oldest and most prestigious street race in Brazil. Regarded as the main international event in Latin American athletics, the Brazilian competition is held yearly in the cit ...

Souselas e Botão Souselas e Botão (officially União das Freguesias de Souselas e Botão) is a civil parish in the municipality of Coimbra, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 4,680, in an area of 33.01 km2. It was formed on 28 January 2013 by the merging of ''fr ...

* Santa Clara e Castelo Viegas *

* Taveiro, Ameal e Arzila * Torres do Mondego * Trouxemil e Torre de Vilela As of 2021, the municipality of Coimbra had a population of 140,796 inhabitants (covering an area of 319.4 km²), reflecting just a 1.3% increase relative to 1991 (139,052 residents), while the number of families increased 17.1% in the same period. This was mainly concentrated in the parish of

Sé Nova SE, Se, or Sé may refer to: Initialisms * Standard Edition (e.g. Java Platform, Standard Edition) * Special Edition * Second Edition (e.g. Windows 98 Second Edition) Arts and entertainment * ''Sé'' (album), by Lúnasa, 2006 * Se (instrume ...

, while the remaining administrative divisions accounted for a range of 78.54 to 5069.2 inhabitants per kilometre square. Seniors and youth (age 0 to 14 years) represent a minority of the population (16.5% and 31.1%); the 25 to 64 cohort accounts for 55% of the active population. While per 100 inhabitants, seniors actually comprise 21.6% of this population, the birth rate (9.3%) is superior the mortality rate in the communities of Coimbra, which is actually greater than other municipalities in the

Baixo Mondego Baixo Mondego (; ''Lower Mondego'' in English) is a former Portuguese NUTS3 subregion that comprised the lower part of the Mondego River. It was abolished at the January 2015 NUTS 3 revision.Região de Coimbra The Intermunicipal communities of Portugal, Comunidade Intermunicipal da Região de Coimbra (; English language, English: ''Coimbra Region'') is an administrative division in Portugal. It was created in October 2013, replacing the previously existi ...

, consisting of 19 municipalities comprising a territory of . Internally, the network and location of public service/sector institutions (such as police stations, fire stations, public finance and notary services) have been located within of the resident population, while most tertiary shops and retail capture between 43.4% and 100% of the market. Mini-markets and corner shops cover 100% of the population; generally, the longest distance travelled between shops is (for pastry shops). Restaurants are usually within 74.2% of the population, and refreshment shops (such as bars and snack bars) routinely cover 100% of the market. Commerce and vestuary shops range from coverage of 43.4% (for glasses) to 91.4% (of clothing); the largest distance that resident population requires to travel is for electro-domestics and auto-mobile purchases. Repair services, which cover the largest part of the civil parishes, and specifically auto repair shops, cover 97.1% of the market. Public transport covers 90.3% of the parishes, with 93.5% of the population; 61.3% have taxi services (capturing 78.8% of the population); public buses serve 67.7% of the parishes (or 85% of the population); while rail services affect 35.5% of the parishes (serving 29.7% of the market); while unequipped parishes, on average, lie within of such services. Postal services are provided in 15 parishes (48.4%), corresponding to 77.9% of the population, while 98.6% receive home distribution. Similarly, public telephones have a 94.6% coverage of the population.

Economy

The wealth of the city rests mostly on the

with about 28,000 students – the city has a total of over 38,000 higher education students considering the other higher education institutions based there – but also in shopping, technology and

health sciences The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to health sciences: Health sciences – those sciences that focus on health, or health care, as core parts of their subject matter. Health sciences relate to multiple a ...

industry, administrative offices, financial services, law firms and specialised medical care. The city has many private clinics, medical offices and two large state-run hospital centres: the '' H.U.C. – Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra'', which is a

university hospital A teaching hospital or university hospital is a hospital or medical center that provides medical education and training to future and current health professionals. Teaching hospitals are almost always affiliated with one or more universities a ...

, and the '' C.H.C. – Centro Hospitalar de Coimbra'', which includes a

general hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley which has been broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC since April 1, 1963. Originally a half-hour seria ...

. Coimbra has also the regional branch of the national cancer hospital – the '' I.P.O. – Instituto Português de Oncologia'', as well as a

military hospital A military hospital is a hospital owned or operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a m ...

. The Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal, the state-run forensic science institute of Portugal, is headquartered in Coimbra. Notable companies based in the municipality of Coimbra include software companies

Critical Software Critical Software is a Portuguese international information systems and software company, headquartered in Coimbra, Portugal, Coimbra. The company was established in 1998, from the University of Coimbra's business incubator and technology transfer ...

and Ciberbit which have their global headquarters in the city, mechanical and electronics engineering company

Active Space Technologies Active Space Technologies is a Portuguese company, with main offices in Portugal, headquartered in Coimbra, which offers products and services in the fields of thermo-mechanical engineering (thermal and structural analysis, design, manufacturing a ...

data science Data science is an interdisciplinary academic field that uses statistics, scientific computing, scientific methods, processing, scientific visualization, algorithms and systems to extract or extrapolate knowledge from potentially noisy, stru ...

company Feedzai,

telemetry Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', 'far off', an ...

and

Machine to Machine Machine to machine (M2M) is direct communication between devices using any communications channel, including wired communication, wired and wireless. Machine to machine communication can include industrial instrumentation, enabling a sensor or met ...

company ISA,

Cimpor Cimpor - Cimentos de Portugal is the largest Portuguese cement group, operating in eleven countries - Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Brazil, Tunisia, Turkey, Cape Verde, Mozambique, China, Egypt and South Africa, involved in manufacturing and marketi ...

's cement factory in Souselas (CIMPOR Souselas), the pan-European service facility of

Olympus Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of optics and reprography products, headquartered in Hachioji, Tokyo. Olympus was established in 1919, initially specializing in microscopes and thermometers, and later in imaging. Olympus holds roughly a 70 percent sh ...

, the

pharmaceuticals Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...

companies Bluepharma and

BASI Basí is a traditional Ilocano fermented alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane juice, predominantly produced in Northern Luzon, Philippines particularly in the Ilocos Region. It is fermented in '' burnáy'' (earthen jars) and flavored with ...

, the iron

foundry A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...

Fucoli-Somepal and several

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

food processing Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food, or of one form of food into other forms. Food processing takes many forms, from grinding grain into raw flour, home cooking, and complex industrial methods used in the mak ...

(

Probar Probar - Indústria Alimentar, SA is a Portuguese company headquartered in Coimbra, which produces cold meat products. Its products include a wide range of processed meat, like sausages, smoked meats, sliced and wafer thin meats, fresh sausages and ...

produces cold meat products and Dan Cake produces

sponge cake Sponge cake is a light cake made with egg whites, flour and sugar, sometimes leavened with baking powder. Some sponge cakes do not contain egg yolks, like angel food cake, but most do. Sponge cakes, leavened with beaten eggs, originated during ...

s and

swiss roll A Swiss roll, jelly roll (United States), roll cake, cream roll, roulade, Swiss log or swiss cake is a type of rolled sponge cake filled with whipped cream, jam, icing, or any type of filling. The origins of the term are unclear; in spite of ...

s),

textiles Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

, wine, civil and engineering construction, architecture, public works and housing construction firms.

Handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...

industry is well represented by traditional

tapestry Tapestry is a form of Textile arts, textile art which was traditionally Weaving, woven by hand on a loom. Normally it is used to create images rather than patterns. Tapestry is relatively fragile, and difficult to make, so most historical piece ...

and

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...

manufacture, and the surroundings of the city have besides

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...

, dynamic horticulture production,

vineyards A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...

and livestock raising. The ''

Instituto Pedro Nunes Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) is a non-profit private organization for innovation and technology transfer based in Coimbra, Portugal. It is named after the Portuguese 16th century mathematician and professor Pedro Nunes, who lived in the city of Co ...

'' (Pedro Nunes Institute), a

business incubator A business incubator is an organization that helps startup companies and individual entrepreneurs to develop their businesses by providing a fullscale range of services, starting with management training and office space, and ending with venture ...

, dynamically hosts several

start-ups A startup or start-up is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. While entrepreneurship includes all new businesses including self-employment and businesses that do not intend to ...

which are usually dedicated to technology-related businesses and become independent

spin-off Spin-off, Spin Off, Spin-Off, or Spinoff may refer to: Entertainment and media *Spinoff (media), a media work derived from an existing work *''The Spinoff'', a New Zealand current affairs magazine * ''Spin Off'' (Canadian game show), a 2013 Canad ...

companies headquartered across the whole region. There is a move by municipal authorities to bring in more innovation and high-technology businesses, through initiatives such as the Coimbra Innovation Park, with the objective of promoting innovation and companies that promote research and development (such as

nanotechnology Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). At this scale, commonly known as the nanoscale, surface area and quantum mechanical effects become important in describing propertie ...

company Innovnano, a subsidiary of

Companhia União Fabril The Companhia União Fabril (CUF) was one of the largest and oldest Portuguese people, Portuguese conglomerates from the 1930s to 1974 and later a chemical industry, chemical corporation which was by then a part of Grupo José de Mello founded in 1 ...

Coimbra has a fresh produce open-air market on every 7th and 23rd days of the month at ''Feira dos 7 e dos 23'', and a large fresh produce market in downtown at ''Mercado D. Pedro V''. The ''Baixa'' (downtown) of Coimbra has many

coffeehouse A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargi ...

s and bakeries, and features several specialty shops selling all kind of products in typical old-fashioned architectural surroundings. Large commercial facilities with car park, include a medium-sized shopping centre (''CoimbraShopping''); two larger shopping centres with

hypermarket A hypermarket or superstore is a big-box store combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full grocery lines and general merchandise. In ...

, restaurants, movie theaters and several shops with a selection of some of Portugal's and the world's most famous and stylish international brands include the Alma shopping center (formerly called Dolce Vita Coimbra) designed by the American planning and design firm, Suttle Mindlin and ''Forum Coimbra''; and two

retail park A retail park is a type of shopping centre found on the fringes of most large towns and cities in the United Kingdom and other European countries. Retail parks form a key aspect of European retail geographies, alongside indoor shopping centres, ...

s found on the fringes of the city, offering an alternative to the busy city centre (''Retail Park Mondego'' in Taveiro, and ''Coimbra Retail Park'' in Eiras). Dolce Vita Coimbra (renamed Alma) was the recipient of the 2006 MIPIM International Design Award; the 2006 ICSC International Design Award; and the 2006 ICSC European Design Award.

Transportation

The two banks of Mondego River at Coimbra, are linked by three main bridges: the ''Ponte do Açude'', the ''Ponte de Santa Clara'' (which is the oldest) and '' Ponte Rainha Santa'', also known as ''Ponte Europa''. The ''Ponte Pedonal de Pedro e Inês'' is the most recently constructed bridge and the only footbridge in the city. The city is internally connected by an extensive bus network, the SMTUC (''Serviços Municipalizados de Transportes Urbanos de Coimbra'', Coimbra Municipality Urban Transport Services) and the Coimbra trolleybus system (the only such system in Portugal). In the past, the city also had a tram network (some are now parked inside a transportation museum).

Taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a Driving, driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of thei ...

s are also available, and are recognizable as cream or black and green (black car with green rooftop) taxis. The city is a hub for interregional bus services for all the country and abroad. A light-rail metro system,

Metro Mondego The Metro Mondego, part of the mass transit public transport system of Coimbra, Portugal, was to have been a light-rail network that runs above ground in Coimbra into the city's suburbs. Studies and planning were in progress but the Metro Mondego ...

, was proposed however the project was abandoned at the height of Portuguese financial crisis. CoimbraA-Station

Coimbra has several rail stations. The principal station ''Coimbra-B'' is on the main line between

and

. In addition, the train-hotel Lusitania connects Coimbra and Madrid every night. From this station, a small spur runs to ''Coimbra-A'', the main station in the city centre. A small regional rail line (''Linha da Lousã'') also ran from ''Coimbra Parque'' at the south edge of the city centre. From Coimbra-Parque was possible to travel to

and Serpins, among others. The line was closed for upgrading as part of the

project and was never reopened when the Metro Mondego project was abandoned, but there is local pressure for the line to be reopened. It is also possible to travel by train between Coimbra and

(''

Ramal de Alfarelos Ramal de Alfarelos is a railway branch in Portugal, which connects the Western Line (at Bifurcação de Lares) to the Northern Line (at Alfarelos), offering a connection between Figueira da Foz and Coimbra. CP offers both urban and regional ...

''), and Coimbra,

Guarda Guarda may refer to: * Guarda, Portugal, city in Portugal * Guarda District, the district containing that city * Roman Catholic Diocese of Guarda, Portugal, the diocese containing that city * Guarda, Switzerland, municipality in Grisons, Switzerlan ...

and

Vilar Formoso Vilar Formoso is a town and civil parish in the municipality of Almeida, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 2,219, in an area of 15.14 km2. One of the most important crossings on the Portugal–Spain border is located just next to the to ...

('' Linha da Beira Alta''). Coimbra is served by the A1 motorway, which connects

. A regional aerodrome is in Cernache (''

Aeródromo Municipal Bissaya Barreto Bissaya Barreto Aerodrome (), , is a recreational airfield in Antanhol, near Coimbra. Overview Even though most of the airfield's land is located in Antanhol, some believe The Aeródromo Municipal Bissaya Barreto is located in Cernache, but it's ...

'') (CBP) CO southwest of the centre. With a runway and

flight information service A flight information service (FIS) is a form of air traffic service which is available to any aircraft within a flight information region (FIR), as agreed internationally by ICAO. It is defined as information pertinent to the safe and efficient c ...

until sunset, this regional airport has all the fundamental facilities for private flights. The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Coimbra, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 35 min. 2.4% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 12 min, and 16.8% of riders wait for over 20 min on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 2 km, and 0% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.

Politics and government

Education

Coimbra has been called ''A cidade dos estudantes'' (The city of the students) or ''Lusa-Atenas'' (Lusitan-Athens), mainly because it is the site of the oldest and one of the largest universities in Portugal – the

, a

public university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...

whose origins can be traced back to the 13th century. Nowadays, it has students from 70 different nationalities; almost 10% of its students are foreigners, making it Portugal's most international university. Coimbra University robes burian 5588

Coimbra is also the place where the oldest and biggest university

students' union A students' union or student union, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, organizat ...

of Portugal was founded – the ''

Associação Académica de Coimbra The Associação Académica de Coimbra (AAC) is the students' union of the University of Coimbra (UC). Founded in Coimbra on November 3, 1887, it is the oldest students' union in Portugal. It is also the biggest Portuguese students' union belongin ...

'' (Academic Association of Coimbra), established in 1887. As well, there are some other schools and institutes of higher education in the city: the '' Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra'', a public

polytechnic A polytechnic is an educational institution that primarily focuses on vocational education, applied sciences, and career pathways. They are sometimes referred to as ''institutes of technology'', ''vocational institutes'', or ''universities of app ...

institute; the ''

Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra The Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra (ESEnfC) is a public nursing school in Coimbra, Portugal. History It was created after the 2004 decree law ''Decreto-Lei nº 175/2004 de 21 de Julho'' through the merging of the two previous nursing sc ...

'', a public

nursing school Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...

; and some private higher education institutions such as the ''Instituto Superior Miguel Torga''; the ''Instituto Superior Bissaya Barreto''; the ''Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama'' and finally, the ''Escola Universitária das Artes de Coimbra'', an

art school An art school is an educational institution with a primary focus on practice and related theory in the visual arts and design. This includes fine art – especially illustration, painting, contemporary art, sculpture, and graphic design. T ...

. A large number of higher education students from all of Portugal chose Coimbra's higher learning institutions to study, due to the wide availability of degrees offered in different fields, the student-friendly environment of the city, and the prestige of many of its learning institutions allied to the ancient tradition of Coimbra as the historical capital of higher studies in Portugal. The city has also a large number of public and private basic and secondary schools, among these some of the best-ranked in the country, like ''Escola Secundária Infanta D. Maria'' (public), ''Escola Secundária José Falcão'' (public), "Escola EB2/3 Martim de Freitas" (public), ''Colégio Rainha Santa Isabel'' (private) and ''Colégio de São Teotónio'' (private), as well as several kindergartens and nurseries. There is also the Coimbra Hotel and Tourism School.

TUMO Coimbra

TUMO Coimbra is the first to open in

. The building is located in the old post office, next to the city market and the town hall. The first centre is part of a nationwide expansion of the Armenian

Tumo Center for Creative Technologies The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies () is a free-of-charge education program for teenagers aged 12–18 specializing in technology and design, with education being provided at various TUMO centers and hubs. The first TUMO center opened in ...

that aims to disrupt formal education in the country and bring young Portuguese closer to various creative and digital skills. More than 1,000 young people are expected to attend in the first year at TUMO Coimbra. The project is made possible through the initiative of some based in or nearby Coimbra sponsors such as

, Paulo Marques and Pedro Bizarro (founders of Feedzai),

Licor Beirão Licor Beirão, commonly simply known as Beirão, is a Portuguese liqueur from the Beira region of Portugal. Originating in the 19th century, it is the most consumed alcoholic spirit in Portugal. Production began in the 19th century in Lousã, ...

and Coimbra City Council. Other sponsors are Oxy Capital,

Altice Portugal Altice Portugal S.A. (formerly known as PT Portugal) is the largest telecommunications service provider in Portugal. Since 2 June 2015 the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Altice, a multinational cable and telecommunications company ...

, ''

La Caixa La Caixa (), also known as the "La Caixa" Foundation (), is a not-for-profit banking foundation based in Spain, with its headquarters in Barcelona since March 2025. Originally a savings bank (''caja''), it reorganized in the 2000s and 2010s: I ...

'' Foundation, the

Santander Group Banco Santander S.A. trading as Santander Group ( , , ), is a Spanish multinational financial services company based in Santander, with operative offices in Madrid. Additionally, Santander maintains a presence in most global financial centres ...

Foundation and the

Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (), commonly referred to simply as the Gulbenkian Foundation, is a Portugal, Portuguese institution dedicated to the promotion of the arts, philanthropy, science, and education. One of the List of wealthiest c ...

Architecture

Civic

* Forest/Moorish City of Antanhol (), Antanhol * Palace of Sub-Ripas (),

* São Sebastião Aqueduct/Garden Arches (),

(),

* City Government office (),

Baixa The Baixa ("Downtown"), also known as the Baixa Pombalina (; "Pombaline Downtown"), is a neighborhood in the historic center of Lisbon, Portugal. It consists of the grid of streets north of the Praça do Comércio, roughly between the Cais do So ...

Military

* Arch and Tower of the Almedina (),

Religious

* Cathedral (Nova) of Coimbra (),

* Cathedral (Velha) of Coimbra (),

* Chapel of the Treasurer (),

* Church and Convent of São Marcos (), São Silvestres * Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça (), Santa Cruz * Church of São Domingos (), Santa Cruz * Church of São Salvador (),

* Church of São Tiago (), São Bartolomeu * College of São Agostinho (),

* College of São Jerónimo (),

* College of São Tomas (),

* Cross of São Marcos (), São Silvestres * Episcopal Palace of Coimbra (),

* Manga Cloister (), Santa Cruz *

(), Santa Clara *

(), Santa Clara * Monastery of Santa Cruz (), Santa Cruz * Monastery of Santa Maria de Celas (), Santo António de Olivais * Monastery of São João das Donas (), Santa Cruz * (Former) Church of Carmo (), Santa Cruz * (Former) Portico of the Church of Santa Ana (),

* Church of Saint Bartolomew, (Igreja São Bartolomeu) File:SeNova1.jpg, Sé Nova cathedral File:Coimbra BW 2018-10-06 14-33-51 stitch.jpg, Sé Velha cathedral File:Igr santiago 2.JPG, São Tiago church File:Sta clara nova 1.JPG, Santa Clara-a-Nova monastery File:Monastery of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz.jpg,

Santa Cruz monastery The Monastery of the Holy Cross (), also known as the Church of the Holy Cross, is a National Monument in Coimbra, Portugal. Because the first two kings of Portugal are buried in the church it was granted the status of National Pantheon. Found ...

Culture

Coimbra celebrates its municipal holiday on 4 July, in honour of Queen

(spouse of the King

Denis Denis may refer to: People * Saint Denis of Paris, 3rd-century Christian martyr and first bishop of Paris * Denis the Areopagite, Biblical figure * Denis, Bishop of Győr (13th century), Hungarian prelate * Denis, son of Ampud (died 1236), bar ...

); a religious and civic celebration that celebrated the life of the former Queen, that includes a fireworks display following the night-time march of the penitents. Coimbra houses the following cultural institutions: *

, the second most important one in Portugal, housed in the former Episcopal Palace *

University of Coimbra General Library The University of Coimbra General Library ''(Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra)'' is the central library of the University of Coimbra, in Coimbra, Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Ibe ...

, Portugal's second biggest library, after the National Library in Lisbon *The 18th-century

Coimbra fado

The '' Fado de Coimbra'' is a highly stylised genre of ''

fado Fado (; "destiny, fate") is a music genre which can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins. Fado historian and scholar Rui Vieira Nery states that "the only reliable information on the history of fado ...

'' music originated in Coimbra. Among its most notable and historical adherents are guitarist

Carlos Paredes Carlos Paredes (; 16 February 1925 – 23 July 2004) was a virtuoso Portuguese guitar player and composer. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of Portuguese guitar of all-time. Born in Coimbra, Portugal, in a family with a long t ...

and singer

Zeca Afonso Zeca may refer to: * José Afonso (1929–1987), Portuguese folk and political musician also known mononymously as Zeca * Zeca (footballer, born 1946), full name Jose Luiz Ferreira Rodrigues, Brazilian football manager known mononymously as Zeca ...

, while the ''

Orfeon Académico de Coimbra Orfeon Académico de Coimbra (O.A.C.) is the oldest and one of the most famous academic choirs in Portugal. It was established in 1880 by the then University of Coimbra's law student João Arroio, with the name ''Sociedade Choral do Orpheon Académ ...

'' (the oldest and most famous academic

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

in Portugal) and the ''

'' are important organizations that promote the culture and stylings of this subgenre of music. In addition, Coimbra has a contemporary music, boasting several live music venues, and some of the most popular clubs and music festivals in Portugal. Moreover, the ''Conservatório de Música de Coimbra'', musical departments of the

and the music programmes of the Faculty of Letters are noted by many of top music schools in the country. The ''

'' is an autonomous organization of the students' union ''Associação Académica de Coimbra'', established in 1880 by a law student of the University of Coimbra (UC), and the ''fado'' section of UC's ''Associação Académica de Coimbra'' itself, are important organizations in Coimbra fado promotion and preservation. According to tradition, to applaud fado in Lisbon one would clap his hands, while in Coimbra cough as if clearing the throat is the typical way.

Student festivals

Coimbra is also known for its university students' festivals. Two are held every year. The first one, ''Latada'' or '' Festa das Latas'' ("The Tin Can Parade") is a

homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States and Canada. United St ...

parade that occurs at the beginning of the academic year, and is a welcome to the new university students (''Caloiros''). Coimbra Queima das Fitas

The ''Festa das Latas'' goes back to the 19th century when the Coimbra students felt the need to express their joy at finishing the school year in as loud a way as possible, using everything at their disposal that would make noise, namely tin cans. The highlight of this festival, which now takes place at the beginning of the academic year (November) is the special parade known as the ''Latada''. After marching through the streets of the city the new students are "baptised" in the Mondego River thus entering into the Coimbra academic fraternity. The students from the penultimate year, normally the 3rd year's students, are awarded their ''Grelos'' (a small ribbon). The ''Grelo'' is a small, woollen ribbon with the colour (s) of the student's faculty that is attached to a student's briefcase. Previous to this, at the morning the students must have visited the Dom Pedro V market where they must get a

turnip The turnip or white turnip ('' Brassica rapa'' subsp. ''rapa'') is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties a ...

to sustain the ''Caloiros'' during the day's festivities. Besides the tin cans they have tied to their legs, the new students wear all kinds of costumes made up according to the creativity and imagination of their ''godmothers'' or ''godfathers'' who are older students. They also carry placards with ironic criticisms alluding to certain teachers, the educational system, national events and leaders. The second one, '' Queima das Fitas'' ("The Burning of the Ribbons"), takes place at the end of the second semester (usually in the beginning of May) and it is one of the biggest student parties in all Europe. It lasts for eight days, one for each University of Coimbra's Faculty: ''Letras'' (Humanities), ''Direito'' (Law), ''Medicina'' (Medicine), ''Ciências e Tecnologia'' (Sciences and Technology), ''Farmácia'' (Pharmacy), ''Economia'' (Economics), ''Psicologia e Ciências da Educação'' (Psychology and Education Sciences) and ''Ciências do Desporto e Educação Física'' (Sports Sciences and Physical Education). Although being University of Coimbra's festivals, other higher education students of Coimbra such as the polytechnic's students or private institution's students, are invited every year by the University of Coimbra students who manage and organise this events, to participate in the ''Tin Can Parade'' and also in the ''Burning of the Ribbons''. The academic festivities are opened to the entire city community and attract a large number of national and international tourists as well.

Music acts

Coimbra has a lively music scene that caters for most tastes with many festivals and events beyond the academic festivals, the traditional Coimbra fado genre and

Artur Paredes Artur Paredes (10 May 1899 – 20 December 1980) was a Portuguese guitar player born in the city of Coimbra, Portugal. He was the biological son of Gonçalo Rodrigues Paredes and Maria do Céu. In 18 April 1915 when Paredes was 15 years old, h ...

Adriano Correia de Oliveira Adriano Maria Correia Gomes de Oliveira, GCIH, ComL, or just Adriano (April 9, 1942 – October 16, 1982) was a Portuguese musician, born to a conservative Roman Catholic family in Porto. His family moved to Avintes after his birth. He went t ...

and

's musical heritage. It boasts several live music venues, and some of the most popular club nights and music festivals in Portugal. Moreover, the Conservatório de Música de Coimbra, the music-related departments of the

and the music programmes of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Coimbra are regularly cited among the top music schools in the country. Modern bands and artists with some degree of recognition in the Portuguese music scene include

André Sardet André Miraldo Sardet Pires is a Portugal, Portuguese singer and musician, born in the city of Coimbra on 8 January 1976. ''Acústico'' (2006), his most successful work, sold over 120,000 copies and was recorded live at Associação Académica ...

, The Legendary Tigerman,

JP Simões João Paulo Nunes Simões, better known as JP Simões, is a Portuguese singer and musician. He was born in Coimbra, Portugal, on 4 January 1970. Due to the Carnation Revolution of 1974 and subsequent turmoil, at age five he emigrated to Rio de Ja ...

(from Belle Chase Hotel and Quinteto Tati) and Os Quatro e Meia. Lux Records, a Portuguese independent record label founded by Rui Ferreira in 1996, is based in Coimbra and has produced the works of many noteworthy music artists and bands of the city since then, including Belle Chase Hotel and The Legendary Tigerman.

Media

The

Centro region The Central Region (, ) or Central Portugal is one of the statistical regions of Portugal. The cities with major administrative status inside this region are Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, Leiria, Castelo Branco and Guarda. It is one of the seven Regi ...

is the third-largest regional media market in Portugal. The Portuguese public radio and television broadcaster '' Rádio e Televisão de Portugal'' has regional offices and studios in Coimbra. The ''

Diário de Coimbra ''Diário de Coimbra'' is the main newspaper of Coimbra, Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Eur ...

'' and the '' Diário As Beiras'' are the two major newspapers based in Coimbra. The students' union of the University of Coimbra has also notable media like the '' Rádio Universidade de Coimbra'' radio station and ''A Cabra'' newspaper.

Leisure

Accommodation

There is a wide variety of accommodation available, ranging from the

camping Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...

-park or one of the many inexpensive

hostels A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory sleeping 4–20 people, with shared use of a lounge and usually a kitchen. Rooms can be private or shared - mixe ...

to the charming downtown

hotels A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a refr ...

and international chain hotels.

Parks and gardens

Coimbra has many green spaces such as

and forests. The

, the fifth oldest in the world, is located near the old university quarters of the ''Alta'' (uptown). The '' Portugal dos Pequenitos'' park is an educational

theme park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

built during the Estado Novo. Its buildings are scale copies of Portuguese architectural landmarks and were completed in the 1950s. The city's green areas also include the '' Mata Nacional do Choupal'', the ''Mata Nacional de Vale de Canas'', ''Jardim da Sereia'' (also known as Jardim de Santa Cruz), '' Penedo da Saudade'', ''Parque Manuel Braga'', ''Parque Verde do Mondego'' and ''Choupalinho''.

, a 19th-century palace and estate, which was transformed into a hotel and golf resort, contains also a large park. Also noteworthy is the '' Paul de Arzila'', a

natural reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologi ...

occupying an area in Coimbra municipality (in Arzila), and in the neighbouring municipalities of

and

. Not far away from the urban centre, close to the city itself, and fully set in the municipality of Coimbra, there are plenty of mountain and river landscapes. These include the river beach of Palheiros do Zorro in the parish of Torres do Mondego and the Rebolim river beach even closer to the city downtown. The tallest reliably measured tree in Europe, ''Karri Knight'', can be found in the municipality of Coimbra in Vale de Canas. It is a ''

Eucalyptus diversicolor ''Eucalyptus diversicolor'', commonly known as karri, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall tree with smooth light grey to cream-coloured, often mottled bar ...

'' of 72.9 meters height and of 5.71 meters girth. It is surrounded by several other eucalypts of different species of over 60 m tall as well as one of the tallest Bunyas (''

Araucaria bidwillii ''Araucaria bidwillii'', commonly known as the bunya pine (), banya or bunya-bunya, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the family Araucariaceae which is endemic to Australia. Its natural range is southeast Queensland with two very small, ...

'') measured anywhere.

Twin towns – sister cities

Coimbra is twinned with: *

Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence, or simply Aix, is a List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, city and Communes of France, commune in southern France, about north of Marseille. A former capital of Provence, it is the Subprefectures in France, s ...

, France (1982/85) * Beira, Mozambique (1997) *

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

, United States (1983–84) *

Curitiba Curitiba () is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná (state), Paraná in Southern Brazil. The city's population was 1,773,718 , making it the List of cities in Brazil by population, eighth most populous city in Brazil and the larg ...

, Brazil (1977/95) *

Daman Daman may refer to: Places *Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, a union territory in India **Daman and Diu (Lok Sabha constituency) **Daman and Diu, former union territory of India, now part of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu **Goa ...

, India (2003–04) *

Dili Dili (Portuguese language, Portuguese and Tetum language, Tetum: ''Díli'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Timor-Leste. It lies on the northern coast of the island of Timor, in a small area of flat land hemmed in by mountai ...

, East Timor (2002) *

Esch-sur-Alzette Esch-sur-Alzette (, ; ; or ''Esch an der Alzig'') is a city in Luxembourg and the country's List of communes of Luxembourg by population, second-most populous commune, with a population of 36,625 inhabitants, . It lies in the south-west of the ...

, Luxembourg (2004–05) * Fez, Morocco, Fez, Morocco (1988) * Macau, China (2004) * Padua, Italy (1998/2000) * Poitiers, France (1979) * Salamanca, Spain (1980–81) * Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara, United States (1971–72) * Santiago de Compostela, Spain (1994) * Santos, São Paulo, Santos, Brazil (1981) * São Vicente, Cape Verde, São Vicente, Cape Verde (1994–95) * Zaragoza, Spain (2004–05)

Sport

Coimbra is home to a large multisports club, the University of Coimbra's students' union ''

'' (known simply as Académica), which is involved in a wide array of sports, such as rugby, volleyball, handball, rink hockey, basketball, association football, baseball, tennis, swimming, rowing, among many others. It also has a professional football club that currently plays in the Liga 3 (Portugal), Liga 3, the third-highest division of the Portuguese football league system, at the ''Estádio Cidade de Coimbra''. Another sports club with tradition in the city is the ''Clube de Futebol União de Coimbra'', which football team plays in the Campeonato de Portugal (league), Campeonato de Portugal. Estadio Cidade de Coimbra

The ''Estádio Cidade de Coimbra'' (29,622 seats), which was a site of 2004 European Football Championship and includes olympic swimming pools (''Piscinas Municipais''), as well as a multiuse sports facility (''Pavilhão Multiusos de Coimbra''), located both near the stadium; the ''Estádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição''; and the ''Estádio Universitário de Coimbra'', an extensive sports complex of the university on Mondego's left bank, are the main athletics and sports venues in Coimbra. The ''Pavilhão Jorge Anjinho'' sports arena (headquarters of ''Associação Académica de Coimbra''), ''Pavilhão dos Olivais'', and ''Pavilhão do C.F. União de Coimbra'', are other places where some of the most important indoor sports clashes involving teams of Coimbra are played. Other clubs in the municipality of Coimbra include Clube de Futebol Santa Clara and Olivais F.C. Major sports teams based in Coimbra include:

Notable individuals

The following people were born, died or otherwise lived within the municipality of Coimbra: Afonso I de Portugal

Royalty & Nobility

(5th century), daughter of

, king of the Suebi, and wife of Attaces, king of the Alans. This Suebi princess is immortalized in history as a symbol of the city of Coimbra, in Portugal, and her image appears in the official coat of arms of Coimbra. *

(ca.1109 – 1185 in

), first King of Portugal, Portuguese monarch, as Afonso I of Portugal, Afonso I from 1139 to 1185, established his residence in the seat of

; he was buried in the Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra. * Sancho I (1154 in Sé Nova – 1212 in Sé Nova), second King of Portugal, 1185– 1211, known as ''the Populator'' * Afonso II (1185 in Sé Nova – 1223 in Sé Nova), third King of Portugal, Portuguese monarch, 1211-1223 known as ''the Fat''. * Sancho II of Portugal, Sancho II (1209 in Sé Nova – 1248), King of Portugal from 1223 to 1248, known as ''the Pious''. * Afonso III of Portugal, Afonso III (1210 in Sé Nova – 1279), first ''King of Portugal and the Algarve'', from 1249. * Luís de Alpoim (13th C) a Knight, ambassador to England, France and the Holy Roman Empire * Saint

(1271–1336), wife of Denis of Portugal, King Denis I; buried at the

. * Peter I of Portugal, Pedro I (1320 in Sé Nova – 1367), King of Portugal, 1357-1367, known as ''the Just'' * Ferdinand I of Portugal, Ferdinand I (1345–1383), King of Portugal, 1367 to 1383, known as ''the Handsome'' * Pedro Annes d'Alpoim (ca.1475-1500s), nobleman, conquistador, early settler of Azores.

Public Service

* Fernando Martins de Bulhões (1195–1231), Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. * Francisco Álvares (ca.1465 in Sé Nova – ca.1541), missionary, explorer and diplomat who travelled to Ethiopia. * Pedro Nunes (ca.1502 – 1578 in Sé Nova), mathematician, cosmographer and academic * Mem de Sá (ca.1500 in Sé Nova – 1572), third Governor-General of Brazil, from 1557-1572. * Melchior Carneiro (1516–1583), Jesuit missionary bishop, one of the first Jesuit bishops. * Diogo de Paiva de Andrade (1528–1575), celebrated Portuguese theologian. * Saint José de Anchieta (1534–1597), Spanish Jesuit, Renaissance Humanism, humanist and writer, studied in Coimbra. * Francisco Macedo (1596–1681), known as S. Augustino, a Portuguese Franciscan theologian. * Joaquim António de Aguiar (1792–1884), politician, three times Prime Minister of Portugal. * João Correia Ayres de Campos (1818–1885), archaeologist, Palaeography, palaeographer, antiquarian, medievalist and bibliophile. * João de Sande Magalhães Mexia Ayres de Campos, 2nd Count of Ameal, Ayres de Campos, 2nd Count of Ameal (1877–1952) a politician and career diplomat * Sister Lúcia (1907–2005 in Sé Nova), one of the three visionary children of Our Lady of Fátima, lived at the Carmelite Convent of Saint Teresa * Álvaro Cunhal (1913—2005), politician, pro-Soviet leader of the Portuguese Communist Party * Isabel de Magalhães Colaço (1926–2004), academic lawyer, first woman to sit in the Constitutional Court * Carlos Mota Pinto (1936–1985), professor and politician, 107th Prime Minister of Portugal, 1978/1979 * Boaventura de Sousa Santos (born 1940), sociologist and professor. * Zita Seabra (born 1949 in Santa Cruz), Portuguese politician and publisher. * Fausto de Sousa Correia (1951–2007), politician, deputy of the Assembly of the Republic (Portugal), Parliament, and Member of the European Parliament, MEP * Pedro Passos Coelho (born 1964), politician, and 118th Prime Minister of Portugal * Ana Catarina Mendes (born 1973) politician, deputy in the Assembly of the Republic (Portugal), Assembly of the Republic since 1995 * Pedro Fernandes Lopes (born 1986), Government minister in the Republic of Cape Verde.

The Arts

* Francisco de Sá de Miranda (1481–1558), Portuguese poet of the

. * Carlos Seixas (1704–1742), composer, teacher and virtuoso of the organ and harpsichord * Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731–1822), one of Portugal's foremost sculptors. * João Maria Correia Ayres de Campos, 1st Count of Ameal, Ayres de Campos, 1st Count of Ameal (1847–1920), art collector, Humanism, humanist and politician * Camilo Pessanha (1867–1926), Portuguese Symbolism (movement), symbolist poet in Portuguese Macau, Macau * João Ameal (1902–1982), historian, journalist, politician and novelist, literary pseudonym of the 3rd Count of Ameal * Mário Simões Dias (1903–1974), musicologist, professional violinist, music critic and poet * Miguel Torga, (1907–1995), Portuguese writers of poetry, short stories, nominee for the Nobel Prize for Literature *

(1925–2004), virtuoso guitar player and composer, known as the ''"man of a thousand fingers"'' * José Afonso (1929–1987), Portuguese singer-songwriter; known as ''Zeca'' * Luiz Goes (1933–2012), Portuguese

singer. * José Álvaro Morais (1943–2004), Portuguese film director. * Mário Vieira de Carvalho (born 1943), musicologist, author and academic * Mário Crespo (born 1947), retired journalist and reporter * Al Berto, Alberto Raposo Pidwell Tavares (1948–1997), known as ''Al Berto'', a poet, painter and editor * Carlos Paião (1957–1988), singer and songwriter, sang at the Eurovision Song Contest 1981 * Sérgio Azevedo (born 1968), composer of contemporary classical music. * Luís de Matos, (born 1970), Portuguese magician, studied in Coimbra. * Paulo Furtado (born ca.1970), stage name '' The Legendary Tigerman'', the lead vocalist of the band WrayGunn. *

(born 1970), singer and musician. * Carlos Damas (born 1973), Portuguese classical violinist *

(born 1976), Portuguese singer and musician. * Tiago Bettencourt (born 1979), singer-songwriter. * Edgar Morais (born 1989), actor, writer and director. Edgar Morais, IMDb Database
retrieved 01 August 2021.

Sport

* Joaquim Melo (born 1949), former football goalkeeper with 368 club caps * Carlos Simões (born 1951), former footballer with over 380 club caps * Sérgio Conceição (born 1974), football manager and former association football, footballer, who played for 10 teams and won 410 club caps and 56 caps for Portugal national football team * Francisco Conceição (born 2002), footballer, who plays as a Midfielder (association football)#Winger, winger for Serie A club Juventus FC, Juventus * João Neto (judoka), João Neto (born 1981), Portuguese judo champion * Nuno Piloto (born 1982), footballer, captain of Associação Académica de Coimbra – O.A.F. * Zé Castro (born 1983), footballer with over 370 club caps, played for Deportivo de La Coruña * Filipe Albuquerque (born 1985), Portuguese racing car driver * Miguel Veloso (born 1986), footballer with over 440 club caps and 56 for Portugal national football team, Portugal * Bárbara Luz (born 1993), former professional tennis player * Diogo Ribeiro (swimmer), Diogo Ribeiro (born 2004), Portuguese swimming world champion * Miguel Neves (born 1988), footballer

Others

*Adelino Maltez (born 1951), lawyer, university professor, poet and writer

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

Coimbra's Municipality City Hall
{{authority control Coimbra, Cities in Portugal Former national capitals Municipalities of Coimbra District

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References

Bibliography

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