Old Cathedral of Saint Mary of Coimbra
The Old Cathedral of Saint Mary of Coimbra, also known as the Sé Velha, is a Romanesque church from the 12th century with thick stone walls and small windows that give it a fortress-like look. Inside, a golden Gothic altarpiece made by Flemish sculptors in the early 1500s faces a Renaissance side portal covered in detailed stone carvings.
Construction began in 1164 under Bishop Dom Miguel Salomaeo, and the cathedral was consecrated in 1184, a year before King Sancho I was crowned there. It remains the most intact Romanesque cathedral from Portugal's Reconquista period.
The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mary and has been the spiritual center of Coimbra since its founding. Every May, male graduates gather on its front steps to sing traditional fado as a farewell to their university years.
The cathedral sits in the old town and is reached on foot by climbing the steps near the Arco de Almedina gateway. Entry is not allowed during services, so a morning visit tends to work well for most travelers.
The stone capitals inside the cathedral show plant and animal motifs but no human figures or biblical scenes, which is unusual for a church of this size. This suggests they were carved by Mozarab craftsmen who settled in Coimbra and followed their own decorative traditions.
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