One Way Ticket

The reason we chose to go to Coimbra was that we wanted to visit one of the oldest universities in Europe. As we had previously visited Braga, where the first king of Portugal was born and where he fought his first battles, here Combria became the countries first capital city where the Kings resided, and from which the country solidified, expanded and became the base for European exploration and commercial expansion. The university of course at first was a Catholic church learning center. The expulsion of the Jesuits from Portugal preceded the modernization of the university. Students after modernization were able to study more of the sciences. Prior to modernization only church law, secular law, and medicine were all that was studied. The university has dominated the culture of the city. Today it is a coed university, but for most of the years only men were students. The Fado which developed came from male students singing to young women as part of the courtship tradition.Wearing capes has been the mark of students since very early on.

This student worked at an outdoor information location. She is selling Chuck tickets for a touristy train ride.

The University is located at the very top of the hill and overlooks the city. This is its central square. Off of this square is the library, the chapel and the palace where the kings resided and where university graduations and significant events happen.

This picture and the one below show the entrance to the mathematics building.

This library is one of the oldest in Europe. The maps of Magellan are in the cases next to Chuck. The upstairs bibliotheca Joanna which contains the old and rare books does not allow photos. It is a world heritage site. the room of the library defies description. It was amazing.

Two pictures of the University Chapel

This is the Great Hall in the palace where the kings held court and coronations took place. The university uses this room for special events such as defending a PhD dissertation, graduations, and conferring new leadership authorities. Chuck could not stop himself from loudly humming Pomp and Circumstance while in the walkway which overlooked this room. No one was allowing to enter this room. (The fox paws strike again)

This aqueduct supplied water to the Roman city, Aeminium, and later to Coimbra which was Portugals capital until 1255. (More Later in next blog post.).

The Jardim Botanico is a beautiful botanical garden and was part of the university’s attempt at studying herbal remedies. The plants were brought from all over the world when the Portuguese explored and traded throughout the world.