Coimbra
This former prison for misbehaving students sits in the basement of the Biblioteca Joanina. Originally located beneath the Sala dos Capelos, it was later transferred back to the medieval jail beneath the library (incredibly, the university was able to operate its own separate laws). In 1834, after the liberal revolution in Portugal, the prison was used as a deposit for books and illuminated manuscripts from convents and monasteries.
Access to the prison is included in visits to the Biblioteca.
0.03 MILES
Coimbra's Unesco-listed university, one of the world's oldest, was originally founded in Lisbon in 1290. It was subsequently relocated several times…
The university's baroque library is Coimbra's headline sight. Named after King João V, who sponsored its construction between 1717 and 1728, it features a…
8.24 MILES
Set in the lush countryside southwest of Coimbra, this is Portugal’s largest and most impressive Roman site. Ancient Conímbriga was an important city in…
Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro
0.16 MILES
This great museum is a highlight of central Portugal. Housed in a 12th-century bishop's palace, it stands over the city's ancient Roman forum, remains of…
19.6 MILES
Between Aveiro and Coimbra, in the village of Sangalhos in the Bairrada wine-producing region, this magnificent place is part adega (winery), part art…
0.12 MILES
Coimbra's 12th-century cathedral is one of Portugal's finest examples of Romanesque architecture. The main portal and facade are particularly striking,…
0.26 MILES
Coimbra's science museum is wonderful, with everything from kid-friendly interactive machines to early scientific instruments, fossils and skeletons. The…
12.17 MILES
Sprawling out from the Palacio do Buçaco, this aromatic forest is littered with crumbling chapels, fountains, ponds and exotic trees. There is a network…
The university's baroque library is Coimbra's headline sight. Named after King João V, who sponsored its construction between 1717 and 1728, it features a…
0.02 MILES
Lording it over the main university square, King João III turns his back to the sweeping city views behind him and faces his great centre of learning. It…
0.02 MILES
Part of the main university complex, this ornate 16th-century chapel has a brightly painted ceiling, lavish tilework, Manueline features and a gilded 18th…
0.03 MILES
Coimbra's Unesco-listed university, one of the world's oldest, was originally founded in Lisbon in 1290. It was subsequently relocated several times…
0.05 MILES
Another of the university's signature landmarks, this 18th-century tower – and its clock and bells – regulates academic life. Built between 1728 and 1733,…
0.06 MILES
Housed in a former royal palace, this is the historic heart of the university, where traditional academic ceremonies are still held. The main ceremonial…
0.06 MILES
The university's main entrance is the Iron Gate, a 17th-century confection designed by architect António Tavares in 1634 on the orders of Rector D Álvaro…
0.12 MILES
Coimbra's 12th-century cathedral is one of Portugal's finest examples of Romanesque architecture. The main portal and facade are particularly striking,…