Old Cathedral of Coimbra, Portugal
We stumbled upon the Old Cathedral of Coimbra by chance. Having finished the tour of Library we started our hunt for a good restaurant to have lunch and maneuvering through the sloping lanes we landed right in front of this Old Cathedral of Coimbra. It seemed like a tiny fortress to me because of its bulky facade.
Surrounding it were several restaurants; though we were hungry we chose to visit the old cathedral first as we were not aware of its timings. And it was a very good experience!
Old Cathedral of Coimbra
Coimbra Old Cathedral, History
When anything new comes up the earlier existing thing becomes old, sadly!
This Old Cathedral of Coimbra was new when it was built in 1139 by King Afonso Henriques. It was Coimbra’s first cathedral. It got designated as “Old” (Velha) after the city’s second cathedral came up in the 18th century.
Construction began after the Battle of Ourique in 1139, when Afonso Henriques defeated those led by the Almoravid governor of Córdoba, Muhammad Az-Zubayr Ibn Umar. It was designed by Portuguese and French architects. The cathedral is precious because it preserves much of the original Romanesque architecture, which is rather rare in major churches of that time in Europe.
The construction of the cathedral spanned several years. The cloisters to the cathedral were added in 1218. In 16th century several additions like the chapels, walls and pillars of the nave covered with tiles were made. The tiles were brought from Seville in 1503.
Colorful Seville Tiles
The monumental Porta Especiosa (transl. Beautiful Door) was built in the north side of the facade. Though the later additions were Gothic and Renaissance style the basic style of the cathedral was Romanseque.
Master Robert, a French architect who was directing the building of Lisbon Cathedral at that time, visited Coimbra regularly and saw through this construction too.
Architectural Details
The front portal is impressive. No wonder why it is the venue of one of the main cultural events in the city, the serenade, in May. It is that time of the year when the academic year ends. During the event the male graduates sing fado as a farewell to student life.
Facade of Old Cathedral Coimbra
The façade looked very simple with arches over the door and over its window. It had a golden sandstone hue. The pillars at the entrance had some designs of Moorish architecture carved on them. It is believed to be an unbreakable façade. Some of the blocks have mason’s mark and Arabic writing on them. The northern and western façade of cathedral of Coimbra are equally interesting. It is a different world inside the cathedral; dark, calm and peaceful!
Interior of Se Velha Coimbra
The interior is lit by sunlight filtering in through the series of stain glass windows. Not very bright and I had to struggle with my camera settings. I was grateful they allowed photography.
Altar in Old Cathedral of Coimbra
The main altarpiece of the Old Cathedral of Coimbra is a sight to behold! It is one of the most prestigious creations of its time. This imposing altarpiece (13m high) exhibits the color scheme of the 16th century. The altarpiece was created by Flemish sculptors in the early 1500s
There is abundant use of gold and blue, typical of flamboyant Gothic. It has been totally or partially coated four times over the five hundred years of its existence.
The interior of the church has the foundation stone of the earlier Visigothic cathedral that was on this site until its destruction in 1117.
We strolled through the cloister of the Old Cathedral. This is the oldest Gothic cloister of Portugal. The lawns are maintained so well, and the patch of green looked soothing. The tomb here is of Coimbra’s first governor and dates back to 1064. Each of the Gothic pointed arches that face the courtyard encompass two twin round arches in Romanesque style.
Cloisters
Another eye catching object here is a huge shell holding holy water. It is a 19th century gift from Sri Lanka. The three altars too are worth a second look. The walls are covered with colorful tiles, all with beautiful designs. They date back to 16th century and are believed to be from Spain.
Huge Shell with Holy Water
If you are spending a day in Coimbra add the visit to Old Cathedral of Coimbra to your list of must do things in Coimbra, Portugal. It is small and easily doable in less than an hour, including your photography.
Highlights of Old Cathedral Coimbra
- Towering central portal
- The door’s traditional Arabic décor
- Tiles from Seville
- The side portal, known as the Beautiful Door, designed by João de Ruão
- Wonderful cloisters with impressive pediments and columns
- Arabic influences on the patterns painted and carved onto the walls
- Bird and flower motifs but no biblical figures
Tickets and Open Timings
Entrance and visit to Church and cloister is 2.50 Euros.
It is open Monday to Friday 10 AM to 5.30 PM and on Saturdays and Sundays after mass. The mass timings are: 5.30 PM on weekdays, at 6.30 PM on Saturdays and at 9.30 AM on Sundays.
How to Reach the Old Cathedral Coimbra
The Old Cathedral is located in a small square in the center of medieval city of Coimbra. You can reach the old cathedral by going up the steps from Arco de Almedina, the gateway to the old city. Se Velha is located west of Coimbra University’s campus. It will take you 10 mins walk east from the city’s principal railway station. There is parking space in front of the cathedral.
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Nice Photographs of Cathedral,, An interesting Post!
Stupendous Interiors and excellent photos.Need to plan here one day.
Cheers,
Sriram & Krithiga
The view of the interiors is so breathtaking… amazing work and craftsmanship.. want to visit this place…
Fabulous photos of this wonderful Cathedral. Amazing !
Best regards, Synnöve
Beautiful and colorful interior of an ancient structure . Thnx for sharing it with us Indrani ji .
What a beautiful place!!
You have been all over Portugal! I am enjoying all these great place thru your lens.
The doorway arch looks great. The insides seem to have a lot of details.
And there’s nothing quite like light filtering into a place to worship, through those stained glass windows.
What a beautiful cathedral !!
Lovely place to visit !!
Greteings
Hello, beautiful cathedral. The interior is gorgeous! Lovely series of images.
Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!
Truly amazing and grand differences from inside out! The cathedral stands pretty strong that too on the slope… mighty one
I’m enjoying reading about your Portugal experiences, Indrani. It all looks so interesting.
Lovely intricate works and archways. Nice shots, Indrani.
Main altarpiece looks stunning. Brilliantly captured!
Amazing
Fantastic picture ??
Such an amazing building 🙂 Great interiors!
Magnificent interiors beautifully captured, Indrani 🙂
The altar is an intricate piece of art work. Beautiful cathedral and that Holy water font is amazing. Loved this post very much Indrani x
Oh my – so gorgeous!
Nice to hear about this cathedral! Good clicks
Amazing pics, Great informative post.
Portugal is high on my list! The church is beautiful!
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The word Flamboyant is so apt…bright and vibrant colors. Amazing pics
Exteriors looked like a simple cathedral but the interiors are beautiful.
Nice piece of information Indrani..
awesome interiors… all these European cathedrals look so amazing!
You have lovely memories from Portugal 🙂
The details are incredible. It’s what makes these European cathedrals incredible.
Beautiful cathedral and really nice photos w/ details.
Well done, Indrani!!
Have a Beautiful Day!
Peace 🙂
What a great building, and so old!
A beautiful place and a magnificent cathedral!! And a great post for the day as always!! Thanks for sharing the beauty and the history, Indrani!! I hope you have a great new week!!
The inside is way more ornate than the exterior. What a surprise!