Coimbra is famous for its hilltop university dating from 1290. The town had been the capital until 1255 and the university eventually moved into the old royal palace where the thriving University of today is still centered. The modern part of the present day Uni is elsewhere. We passed here on the way to somewhere else and only really stopped to look at the Joanina Library.
Joanina Library
The main point of interest in the Joanina Library, a Baroque confection of marbled wood, gold leaf, frescoed ceilings. The ancient library was installed by Dom Joao V and has 250,000 books dating from the 12th century. Because of the thick walls and oak timber, the temperature and humidity are maintained at a good level. A colony of bats are permitted to live in the ceiling, to come out at night and eat any insects that might have made their way in. The other buildings there include St Michael's Chapel, built in 1500s with Manueline doorway and Ceremonial Hall with the walls lined with portraits of all Portugal's Kings and an ornate poly-chromatic wood ceiling. No photos allowed so we bought some postcards.
The main point of interest in the Joanina Library, a Baroque confection of marbled wood, gold leaf, frescoed ceilings. The ancient library was installed by Dom Joao V and has 250,000 books dating from the 12th century. Because of the thick walls and oak timber, the temperature and humidity are maintained at a good level. A colony of bats are permitted to live in the ceiling, to come out at night and eat any insects that might have made their way in. The other buildings there include St Michael's Chapel, built in 1500s with Manueline doorway and Ceremonial Hall with the walls lined with portraits of all Portugal's Kings and an ornate poly-chromatic wood ceiling. No photos allowed so we bought some postcards.
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