Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Coimbra > Coimbra > Coimbra > Santa Clara
The space that housed the Coimbra Military Museum is located in the Santa Clara area, in Coimbra. It was integrated into an annex dependency of the historic Santa Clara-a-Nova Convent.
This area of the city, on the left bank of the Mondego River, is known for hosting important historical monuments and offering perspectives on the university city on the opposite hill.
This museum aimed to present the material and historical trajectory of the Portuguese army throughout the centuries. In its halls, it was possible to find a variety of pieces illustrating the country's military development.
The collection included everything from weaponry and uniforms, which showed the evolution of military equipment and attire, to heavy vehicles displayed in an outdoor courtyard, giving an idea of the scale of some of the means used.
Among the elements that made up the museum's permanent exhibition, collections of military uniform postcards covering a vast period, from the 17th to the 19th centuries, stood out. There were also photographs reproducing architectural details of interest, such as old tile panels and stained glass.
The museum also addressed specific themes through thematic exhibitions, such as life in the trenches or ammunition transport systems, illustrated by a cart dedicated to this function. These sections sought to detail particular aspects of military experience and logistics.
Inaugurated in December 1985, the museum found its location in an annex of the Santa Clara-a-Nova Convent, a building of historical relevance dating back to the 17th century. This setting provided an appropriate historical backdrop for the military theme.
Initially conceived to focus on the heritage of the former Central Military Region, the museum grew and incorporated pieces from different origins, thus broadening its scope to encompass a wider perspective of Portuguese military history.
It is important to note for those looking to visit the location that the Coimbra Military Museum closed its doors to the public in December 2009. The decision to close was made for economic reasons, thus ending its activity.
After the closure, the collection that was on display was distributed and transferred to other military units dispersed throughout Portuguese territory. Consequently, the building that previously housed the museum no longer functions as such nor does it contain the collections we described.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.2033513,-8.4372295
Coordinates DMS: 40°12'12.1"N 08°26'14.0"W
Weather Coimbra
On-duty Pharmacy Coimbra
