Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Coimbra > Coimbra > Coimbra > Alta
The Royal Palace is located in Coimbra's Alta, the highest and oldest part of the city. This privileged location, atop a hill, offers a unique setting and a prominent presence in the urban landscape. Its central position reflects its great importance throughout Coimbra's history.
Today, what was once the Royal Palace is the heart of the Paço das Escolas (Schools' Courtyard), the main complex of the University of Coimbra, from where views extend over the city's rooftops and the Mondego River.
The Royal Palace of Coimbra boasts a history intertwined with the origins of the Portuguese nation and its oldest university. This site once served as a residence and center of power for royalty, witnessing significant moments of royal life, including the births of kings.
Over time, the Palace transformed into the initial nucleus of the University of Coimbra, at the initiative of King D. Dinis. This profound connection between the crown and the educational institution is still evident today, with the complex's architecture bearing witness to the various phases of adaptation and exaltation, both of knowledge and of the monarchs associated with it.
One of the most significant spaces within the former Royal Palace is the Sala dos Capelos. Formerly the Throne Room, this hall retains its grandeur and symbolism, serving as the stage for the most solemn moments of the academic life of the University of Coimbra.
Its walls display a remarkable gallery of portraits of the Kings of Portugal, including works by Carlos Falch. The hall's current configuration resulted from significant interventions, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, which conferred upon it the majesty still observed today, uniting its royal past with its current university function.
The Royal Palace complex presents an architecture that reflects its long history and the different eras in which it was transformed. Elements such as the imposing University Tower, the Iron Gate, and the São Miguel Chapel, with their Manueline roots, are some of the visible traces of this evolution.
The famous Joanina Library and the building known as Gerais, among others, illustrate how the old Royal Palace was enriched and adapted over the centuries, taking on its current form as the heart of the University. These structures together tell the story of a space that was once a residence for kings and transformed into a globally recognized center of knowledge.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.2079623,-8.4259989
Coordinates DMS: 40°12'28.7"N 08°25'33.6"W
Weather Coimbra
On-duty Pharmacy Coimbra
