University of Coimbra Alta and Sofia

Nucleus 1

It was in the city downtown, in Sofia Street;( -sophy), of course, as in wisdom, that the history of the University of Coimbra erected after its definite transference to Coimbra in 1537.

It was in the city downtown, in Sofia Street;( -sophy), of course, as in wisdom, that the history of the University of Coimbra erected after its definite transference to Coimbra in 1537. This street tore the urban medievalism and became an axis of modernity for its time. Together, 27 colleges brought life to this area. Seven of them are still living testimonies of the history of the University.

This wise Street starts by the Santa Cruz Church, National Pantheon where King Afonso Henriques and his son King Sancho I are entombed. On that same place is the Café Santa Cruz, and historical and charismatic coffee shop where the Crúzios, delicious conventual pastry, were reinvented

Nucleus 2

In the Schools Courtyard we find out how this place was transformed from Royal Palace, the house of political power into the territory of that other form of power that is knowledge.

We must only go through the Iron Gate to make a leap in time and start a journey that will takes us through big and small stories: the one that took place in the Grand Hall – presently known as Sala dos Capelos – the place where the decision that put an end to the crisis of 1383-1385 was taken, or the one about the tile in the Faculty of Law that contains a fox that is kicked by all the students who try to keep the bad results in their exams away.

Here, in this old courtyard the layers of history overlap – the Roman remains, the Moorish citadel – over which rise the building where almost all the kings from the Portuguese first dynasty were born.

This courtyard also displays the richness and wisdom of the Baroque Library, considered by many international publications, the most beautiful and exquisite university library of the world.

Let us hold our attention here for a moment: the Library concentrates the world inside either painted on the ceilings where it is possible to observe the continents, or in the chinoiseries that exhibit on the many shelves scenes from the Oriental life, or even the woods and gold brought from Brazil, but mostly in the thousands of books, over 53 thousand, that narrate the history of knowledge in the several scientific domains. And, astonishingly, they can all be read, including the first edition of “Os Lusíadas” and the precious Hebrew Bible from1104.

Nucleus 3

Outside the iron door, facing the Rua Larga, we find physical evidences of the Pombaline Reformation.

Outside the iron door, facing the Rua Larga, we find physical evidences of the Pombaline Reformation. Much more remains in the University than the easily identifiable buildings from the 18^th century. The instruments, the books, the marks from the Enlightenment, the creation of new degrees, the abandonment of the scholastic system and the victory of experimentation, all of these remain. It is also possible to visit the most impressive Physics Cabinet of the world, part of the Science Museum, winner of several international prizes.

Another masterpiece from Marquis of Pombal is the Botanical garden with its linden tree avenue, with its magnolias that burst in flower by February and with a wood woven by species from several parts of the world.

Nucleus 4

As a result of a substantial reformation that took place in the 40s and 60s of the 20^th century and forever changed the face of the University through an operation of complete urban reorganization of the area, the nucleus from the Second Republic sets the contemporaneity of Pole I of the University of Coimbra.

The uptown area, once made of winding streets, suffered partial destruction to open way to a modern university campus. For its conception, construction and decoration the best artists of the time were summoned: Cottinelli Telmo, Cristino da Silva, Abel Manta, Almada Negreiros.

This is where the University was centered before the other movement of urban expansion that would take it to other areas of the city.

From this University, that for centuries was the only one in the Portuguese speaking universe, the world was studied. It was also here that the elite of the Portuguese speaking world studied, much of which contributed to the affirmation of the language: Antero de Quental, Camilo Pessanha, Eugénio de Castro, José Afonso, Eça de Queirós, Alexandre Herculano, Antero de Quental, Manuel Alegre to the most recently awarded Nuno Camarneiro.

Universidade de Coimbra Alta e Sofia — Candidatura a património mundial

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