Among the many archaeological structures dating back to theRoman era, when Coimbra was the settlement ofAeminium, are its well-preservedaqueduct andcryptoporticus. Similarly, buildings from the period when Coimbra was the capital of Portugal (from 1131 to 1255) still remain. During the lateMiddle Ages, with its decline as the political centre of theKingdom of Portugal, Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural centre. This was in large part helped by the establishment of thefirst Portuguese university in 1290 in Lisbon and its relocation to Coimbra in 1308, making it the oldest academic institution in thePortuguese-speaking world. Apart from attracting many European andinternational students, the university is visited by many tourists for its monuments and history. Its historical buildings were classified as aWorld Heritage site byUNESCO 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."[7]
Arcos do Jardim, built between 1568 and 1570 on the remains of aRoman aqueduct
The city, located on a hill by theMondego River, was calledAeminium inRoman times. TheRomans founded thecivitas of Aeminium in this place at the time ofAugustus (63 BC – AD 14), which came under the protection of nearbyConímbriga (inCondeixa-a-Nova), some 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the south. The Roman city was encircled by a wall, and followed an orthogonal plan, with thecardo maximus anddecumanus maximus crossing at theForum. Anaqueduct existed, the remains of which were incorporated into a latter medieval renovation. Aeminium fell under the influence, administratively, of the larger city ofConímbriga, until the latter was sacked by theSueves andVisigoths between 465-8 and abandoned.[8] It became the seat of adiocesis, 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 RomanBracara Augusta (Roman name ofBraga) andOlisipo (Roman name ofLisbon) 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 thecryptoporticus of the former Roman forum (now part of theMachado de Castro National Museum). The move of the settlement and bishopric of Conimbriga to Aeminium resulted in the name change toConimbriga, evolving later toColimbria.[8]
After being subjected to the Roman Empire for a long time, a deluge ofbarbarians flooded the Iberian Peninsula in 409, and theLower Mondego area recognisedHermeric, the landlord of theSuebi, as its ruler. But the ambition to gain territory dominatedAtaces, king of theAlans and Coimbra fell from the hands of 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 easiness of its fields, he laid beside it the foundations for a new city which was calledColimbria. Ataces converted to Christianity, but beingarian 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 edification. Nobody escaped the tyranny of Ataces: he ordered everyone to work on the construction of the walls.Elipando, 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 toSamerico,Archbishop of Braga), 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 wasBracara Augusta (former name of Braga), did not lose hope of rescuing the lands that had been taken by Ataces in the south. He crossed theDouro river 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 continues with great fervor the reedification of the city he had plundered before. Hermeric visited him in Colimbria bringing him her daughter, princessCindazunda, who had been flourishing in age and beauty.
The coat of arms of Coimbra is said to be inspired onCindazunda,Hermeric's daughter. The legendary symbolism of the lion is tied toAtaces, ruler of the Alans, and that of the serpent is tied to Hermeric, ruler of the Suebi.[9]
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. TheVisigoths would conquest the region later. During theVisigothic era (from the 5th to the early 8th century), theCounty of Coimbra was created by kingWittiza (c. 687 – probably 710) and it was a sub-county of his dominion, established as a fief for his son prince Ardabast (orSisebuto), with its seat inEmínio (the Visigothic name for Coimbra), which persisted until the Muslim invasion from the south.[10]
The first Muslim campaigns that occupied the Iberian Peninsula occurred between 711 and 715, with Coimbra capitulating toMusa bin Nusair in 714. Although it was not a large settlement, Qulumriyah (Arabic:قُلُمْرِيَة), in the context ofAl-Andalus, 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 theAlmedina,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 ChristianReconquista forced theBanu Dānis and the other Muslims to abandon the region temporarily. Successively the Moors retook the castle in 987–1064 and again in 1116, capturing two castles constructed to protect the territory: inMiranda da Beira (where the garrison was slaughtered) and inSanta Eulália (where the governor surrendered his forces rather than facing a similar massacre).[8]
The reconquest of the territory was attained in 1064 by KingFerdinand I of León and Castile, who appointedDomSisnando Davides to reorganize the economy and administer the lands encircling the city. TheCounty of Portucale and theCounty of Coimbra were later integrated into one dominion under the stewardship ofHenry of Burgundy byAlfonso VI of León and Castile in 1096, when Henry married Alfonso's illegitimate daughterTheresa. Henry expanded the frontiers of the County, confronting theMoorish forces, and upon his death in 1112, Theresa, Countess of Portucale and Coimbra, unified her possessions. Their son,Afonso Henriques, 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 includedLeiria,Soure, Rabaçal,Alvorge andAnsião.[8]
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, includingmagnates, knights and high clergy. The youngInfante encouraged the construction of his seat, funding theSanta Cruz Monastery (the most important Portuguesemonastic institution at the time, founded in 1131 byTheotonius), promoted the construction of theOld 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 theconcelho (municipality) he conceded a formalforal (charter) in 1179.
Already in theMiddle Ages, Coimbra was divided into an upper city (Cidade Alta orAlmedina), where thearistocracy and the clergy lived, and the merchant, artisan and labour centres in the lower city (Arrabalde orCidade Baixa) by theMondego River, in addition to the old and new Jewish quarters. The city was encircled by afortified wall, of which some remnants are still visible like the Almedina Gate (Porta da Almedina).
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. The most important work inGothic style in the city is theMonastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha, founded on the left side of the river Mondego by QueenElizabeth of Portugal 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 theMonastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova 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.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, during theAge of Discovery, Coimbra was again one of the main artistic centres of Portugal thanks to both local and royalpatronage. Coimbrabishops,religious orders andKing Manuel I supported artists like Diogo Pires (father and son), Marcos Pires,João de Castilho, Diogo de Castilho and the Frenchmen, João de Ruão and Nicholas of Chanterene, among others, who left importantManueline andRenaissance works in the town. Dating from this period are the remodelling (in Manueline style) of theSanta Cruz Monastery, including the tombs of KingsAfonso Henriques andSancho I, the Renaissance Manga Fountain, and the altarpieces and triumphal portal of theOld Cathedral, among other works.
The interior stacks of theJoanine Library, one of the oldest collections in Portugal
TheUniversity of Coimbra, was founded as aStudium Generale in Lisbon in 1290 byKing Dinis I. The University was relocated to Coimbra in 1308, but in 1338 KingD. Afonso IV returned the University to Lisbon. The University was definitively transferred to the premises of Coimbra Royal Palace in 1537 byKing 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, theJoanina Library (Biblioteca Joanina), aBaroque library, is another notable landmark of the ancient university. TheBaroque University Tower (Torre da Universidade) designed byAntónio Canevari and built between 1728 and 1733, is an iconic monument of the city.[11][12]
Rural life in the periphery and parishes of Coimbra around 1839, seen from the fields ofSão Martinho do Bispo
In 1772, theMarquis of Pombal, prime minister of KingJosé I, 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 theScience 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.[13] In the same year,Luísa de Jesus, a local 23-year-old woman, wassentenced to death for multipleinfanticide becoming the last woman to be executed in the country's history.[14] She is also considered the deadliestserial killer in Portuguese crime history.[15]
The first half of the 19th century was a difficult period for Coimbra, being invaded byFrench troops under the command ofAndoche Junot andAndré Masséna during thePeninsular War. A force of 4,000 Portuguesemilitia led byNicholas Trant dealtMasséna a heavy blow when it recaptured the city on 6 October 1810. In March 1811, the militia successfully held the place against the retreatingFrench army. The city recovered in the second half of the 19th century with infrastructure improvements like thetelegraph, 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.
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 (Portuguese:Ministério dos Negócios Eclesiásticos) and Justice (Portuguese:Ministério de Justiça) 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.[16] 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.[16]
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 ofSanto António dos Olivais. 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).
One of the nation's most important crossroads, Coimbra was historically at a junction between Braga and Lisbon, and its river access (theMondego flows through the municipality) provided a route between the interior communities and the coastal towns (including the seaside city ofFigueira da Foz, 40 km (25 mi) west of Coimbra). The historic city of Coimbra is located centrally within the municipality, connected to Lisbon (197 km (122 mi)) and Porto (116 km (72 mi)) by the IC2, IP3 andA1 motorways.[17]
Although it ceased serving as the capital ofPortugal in the 13th century, Coimbra retains considerable importance as the centre of the formerBeira province, now designated theCentro region. It is considered alongsideBraga one of the two most important regional centres in Portugal outside theLisbon andPortosmetropoles, 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 theUniversity of Coimbra, has historically attracted the nation'snotable writers,artists,academics andaristocracy, securing its reputation as theLusa-Atenas (LusitanianAthens).
The western edge of Coimbra is covered by theReserva Natural do Paul de Arzila (Arzila Swamp Natural Reserve), which is designated both as aSpecial Protection Zone (Portuguese:Zona de Protecção Especial) andSpecial Conservation Zone (Portuguese:Zona Especial de Conservação), coincident with the civil parish of Arzila (sometimes referred to as thePaul de Arzila ormarsh of Arzila).[18] It is awetland that has sheltered migratory birds, and supports other animal and plant species; this has included predominantly avian species, such as the:Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus),sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus),melodious warbler (Hippolais polyglotta),willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus),little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus),great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), and theSavi's warbler (Locustella luscinioides).[18] The 482 hectare area, under threat from industrial, residential andagricultural pollution, expansion of aquatic plants andeutrophication, 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.[18]
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 onthe Portuguese Way of the Road of St James (Caminho de Santiago).
In winter, temperatures range between 15–16 °C (59–61 °F) at day and 5–7 °C (41–45 °F) at night, occasionally dropping below 0 °C (32 °F), with an average of 19 days with frost per year;[20] while summer temperatures range between 28–29 °C (82–84 °F) at day and 15–16 °C (59–61 °F) at night and can reach 40 °C (104 °F) or more in hotter days. Coimbra has around 32 days a year with maximum temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). The lowest and highest temperatures ever recorded in Coimbra were −4.9 °C (23.2 °F) on 27 January 1976 and 42.3 °C (108.1 °F).[20]
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 thefloodplain of theMondego River 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 ofcold air lakes, in topographically depressed areas at certain synoptic situations, can also lead to pronounced colder temperatures.[21]
Climate data for Coimbra (Mesura), 1981-2010 normals and extremes
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.[17] This was mainly concentrated in the parish ofSé Nova, while the remaining administrative divisions accounted for a range of 78.54 to 5069.2 inhabitants per kilometre square.[17] 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 theBaixo Mondego subregion.[17]
The municipality of Coimbra has a resident population of 157,510 inhabitants, and seasonal population of approximately 200,000 residents. Between 1864 and 2001, the municipal population tripled (following the trend in the rest of the country when the nation's population doubled), while between 1991 and 2001 its population increased 6.75% (Portugal's population increased 4.08% in the same period).[25] On average, over 43,000 people flow to Coimbra every day to study and work. About 460,000 inhabitants live in theRegião de Coimbra, consisting of 19 municipalities comprising a territory of 4,336 square kilometres (1,674 sq mi).
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 5.2 to 6.6 km (3.2 to 4.1 miles) of the resident population, while most tertiary shops and retail capture between 43.4% and 100% of the market.[17] Mini-markets and corner shops cover 100% of the population; generally, the longest distance travelled between shops is 8.7 km (5.4 mi) (for pastry shops).[17] Restaurants are usually within 74.2% of the population, and refreshment shops (such as bars and snack bars) routinely cover 100% of the market.[17] 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 10.2 km (6.3 mi) for electro-domestics and auto-mobile purchases.[17] 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 4.8 km (3.0 mi) of such services.[17] 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.[17]
The familiar urban landscape of theBaixa (Downtown), showing the distinctive hill of theAlmedina andSé Nova that became University Hill, seen from Downtown
Coimbra has a fresh produce open-air market on every 7th and 23rd days of the month atFeira dos 7 e dos 23, and a large fresh produce market in downtown atMercado D. Pedro V. TheBaixa (downtown) of Coimbra has manycoffeehouses 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 withhypermarket, 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 andForum Coimbra; and tworetail parks found on the fringes of the city, offering an alternative to the busy city centre (Retail Park Mondego in Taveiro, andCoimbra Retail Park in Eiras). Dolce Vita Coimbra (renamed Alma) was the recipient of the 2006 MIPIM International Design Award;[29] the 2006 ICSC International Design Award; and the 2006 ICSC European Design Award.[30]
The two banks of Mondego River at Coimbra, are linked by three main bridges: thePonte do Açude, thePonte de Santa Clara (which is the oldest) andPonte Rainha Santa, also known asPonte Europa. ThePonte 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 theCoimbra 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).Taxicabs 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, was proposed however the project was abandoned at the height of Portuguese financial crisis.
Coimbra-A railway station.
Coimbra has several rail stations. The principal stationCoimbra-B is on the main line betweenPorto andLisbon. In addition, the train-hotel Lusitania connects Coimbra and Madrid every night.[31]
From this station, a small spur runs toCoimbra-A, the main station in the city centre. A small regional rail line (Linha da Lousã) also ran fromCoimbra Parque at the south edge of the city centre. From Coimbra-Parque was possible to travel toMiranda do Corvo,Lousã and Serpins, among others. The line was closed for upgrading as part of theMetro Mondego 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 andFigueira da Foz (Ramal de Alfarelos), and Coimbra,Guarda andVilar Formoso (Linha da Beira Alta).
Coimbra is served by theA1 motorway, which connectsLisbon toPorto.
A regional aerodrome is in Cernache (Aeródromo Municipal Bissaya Barreto) (CBP) [PCO], 7.5 kilometres (4.7 miles) southwest of the centre. With a 920 metres (3,018 feet) runway andflight information service 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.[32]
Coimbra has been calledA cidade dos estudantes (The city of the students) orLusa-Atenas (Lusitan-Athens), mainly because it is the site of the oldest and one of the largest universities in Portugal – theUniversity of Coimbra, apublic university 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.
University students in robes during the first week of classes, Coimbra (2019)
Coimbra is also the place where the oldest and biggest universitystudents' union of Portugal was founded – theAssociação Académica de Coimbra (Academic Association of Coimbra), established in 1887.
As well, there are some other schools and institutes of higher education in the city: theInstituto Politécnico de Coimbra, a publicpolytechnic institute; theEscola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, a publicnursing school; and some private higher education institutions such as theInstituto Superior Miguel Torga; theInstituto Superior Bissaya Barreto; theEscola Universitária Vasco da Gama and finally, theEscola Universitária das Artes de Coimbra, anart school.
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, likeEscola Secundária Infanta D. Maria (public),Escola Secundária José Falcão (public), "Escola EB2/3 Martim de Freitas" (public),Colégio Rainha Santa Isabel (private) andColégio de São Teotónio (private), as well as several kindergartens and nurseries. There is also the Coimbra Hotel and Tourism School.
TUMO Coimbra is the first to open inPortugal. 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 ArmenianTumo Center for Creative Technologies 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.
Coimbra celebrates its municipal holiday on 4 July, in honour of QueenElizabeth of Portugal (spouse of the KingDenis); 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:
TheFado de Coimbra is a highly stylised genre offado music originated in Coimbra. Among its most notable and historical adherents are guitaristCarlos Paredes and singerZeca Afonso, while theOrfeon Académico de Coimbra (the oldest and most famous academicchoir in Portugal) and theAssociação Académica de Coimbra 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, theConservatório de Música de Coimbra, musical departments of theAssociação Académica de Coimbra and the music programmes of the Faculty of Letters are noted by many of top music schools in the country.
TheOrfeon Académico de Coimbra is an autonomous organization of the students' unionAssociação Académica de Coimbra, established in 1880 by a law student of the University of Coimbra (UC), and thefado section of UC'sAssociação 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.
Coimbra is also known for its university students' festivals. Two are held every year. The first one,Latada orFesta das Latas ("The Tin Can Parade") is ahomecoming parade that occurs at the beginning of the academic year, and is a welcome to the new university students (Caloiros).
Undergraduate Medicine students participating in Coimbra'sQueima das Fitas parade
TheFesta 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 theLatada. 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 theirGrelos (a small ribbon). TheGrelo 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 aturnip to sustain theCaloiros 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 theirgodmothers orgodfathers 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) andCiências 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 theTin Can Parade and also in theBurning 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.
Coimbra has a lively music scene that caters for most tastes with many festivals and events beyond the academic festivals, the traditionalCoimbra fado genre andArtur Paredes,Adriano Correia de Oliveira andZeca Afonso'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,[34] the music-related departments of theAssociação Académica de Coimbra 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 includeAndré Sardet,The Legendary Tigerman,JP Simões (from Belle Chase Hotel and Quinteto Tati) andOs Quatro e Meia.[35] 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.[36]
TheCentro region is the third-largest regional media market in Portugal. The Portuguese public radio and television broadcasterRádio e Televisão de Portugal has regional offices and studios in Coimbra. TheDiário de Coimbra and theDiário As Beiras are the two major newspapers based in Coimbra. The students' union of the University of Coimbra has also notable media like theRádio Universidade de Coimbra radio station andA Cabra newspaper.
There is a wide variety of accommodation available, ranging from thecamping-park or one of the many inexpensivehostels to the charming downtownhotels and international chain hotels.
The city's green areas also include theMata Nacional do Choupal, theMata 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 andChoupalinho.Quinta das Lágrimas, a 19th-century palace and estate, which was transformed into a hotel and golf resort, contains also a large park. Also noteworthy is thePaul de Arzila, anatural reserve occupying an area in Coimbra municipality (in Arzila), and in the neighbouring municipalities ofCondeixa-a-Nova andMontemor-o-Velho.[39]
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[40] in the parish of Torres do Mondego and the Rebolim[41] 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 aEucalyptus diversicolor 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) measured anywhere.[42]
TheEstádio Cidade de Coimbra (29,622 seats), which was a site of2004 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; theEstádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição; and theEstádio Universitário de Coimbra, an extensive sports complex of the university on Mondego's left bank, are the main athletics and sports venues in Coimbra. ThePavilhão Jorge Anjinho sports arena (headquarters ofAssociação Académica de Coimbra),Pavilhão dos Olivais, andPavilhão do C.F. União de Coimbra, are other places where some of the most important indoor sports clashes involving teams of Coimbra are played.
Cindazunda (5th century), daughter ofHermeric, king of the Suebi, and wife ofAttaces, 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.
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 formerfootballer, who played for 10 teams and won 410 club caps and 56 caps for Portugal national football team
^abcdefghijSantos, Luísa (December 2004),Caracterização Sócio- Económica dos Concelhos Concelho de Coimbra(PDF) (in Portuguese), Coimbra, Portugal: Direcção Geral do Ordenamento do Território e Desenvolvimento Urbano/Direcção de Serviços de Estudos e Planeamento Estratégico/Divisão de Estudos e Planeamento, archived fromthe original(PDF) on 10 January 2021, retrieved29 July 2018 p. 5-13
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