Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Coimbra > Coimbra > Coimbra > Alta
The Old Cathedral of Coimbra is located in the Upper Town, a historically central area that rises above the rest of the urban fabric. This privileged location, in the heart of Coimbra, reflects the importance the building held since its origins, when the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Portugal. Its position grants it a prominent presence in the cityscape and offers a unique perspective on Coimbra's historical legacy.
This imposing monument is one of the most significant examples of Romanesque style in Portugal. Its construction began in the mid-12th century, a crucial period for the affirmation of Portuguese identity, shortly after the Battle of Ourique, when Coimbra was elevated to the status of capital. A historical milestone of great relevance occurred in 1185, when the Old Cathedral hosted the coronation of D. Sancho I, the second king of Portugal. The robustness of its walls, crowned with battlements and with few openings, gives it the appearance of a fortress, a common characteristic of cathedrals built during the Reconquista, which reflects the defensive and territorial consolidation environment of the era.
The Old Cathedral is distinguished by its predominantly Romanesque architecture, visible in the solidity of its structures. On the western façade, the upper portal and window stand out, richly decorated with capitals displaying Romanesque motifs influenced by Arab and pre-Romanesque elements. On the northern exterior, the Porta Especiosa, created by the sculptor João de Ruão in the 1530s, is a remarkable Renaissance intervention, featuring a three-story structure that contrasts with the Romanesque severity. Inside, the building is organized into three naves, with the central nave covered by a barrel vault and an elegant triforium on the upper floor. The approximately 380 sculpted capitals are one of the highlights of the Sé's Romanesque art, with their profusion of vegetal, geometric, and animal themes, where the absence of human figures is a notable particularity.
Annexed to the temple, the cloister, begun in the 13th century, represents one of the first Gothic works in Portugal, marking a harmonious transition between the Romanesque and the new style. Its Gothic arcades, framing twin perfect round arches, are a testament to architectural evolution. Inside the Old Cathedral, various artworks enrich the space. The chancel houses the gilded high altarpiece, a Flemish work from the late 15th century, in Flamboyant Gothic style, illustrating scenes of the Virgin and Jesus. Although many were removed in later reforms, traces of 15th-century Hispano-Arabic tiles persist in some areas. It is also possible to observe the south apse, rebuilt in Renaissance style, and several Gothic-era tombs in the side naves, including that of D. Vataça Láscaris, a 14th-century Byzantine lady, whose tomb displays the symbolic double-headed eagle emblem of the Byzantine Empire.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.2087884,-8.4270474
Coordinates DMS: 40°12'31.6"N 08°25'37.4"W
Weather Coimbra
On-duty Pharmacy Coimbra
