Heading South
Thursday found us heading to Coimbra, once the medieval capital of Portugal and now known for its university, one of the oldest in Europe. It was founded in 1290.
The library, dating from the fifteenth century, is off-limits to students — and photographers, unfortunately. It houses some 60,000 books, and the walls and ceilings are covered with gilded sculpture and paintings from the period, as well as cloisonné and trompe l’oeil ceiling decorations. (The images below are not from the ancient library.)
Students garbed in black robes evoke Hogwart’s, and groups serenade tourists in the streets.
According to Luis, the vast majority of the 20,000+ students are Portuguese, and classes are taught in that language, as well as Latin.
About 30 minutes southwest of Coimbra lies Tomar, which was the Portuguese headquarters of the Knights Templar, founded there in 1160. Templar imagery, most notably the white tunic with a red cross, is everywhere in the town. The Convento de Christo , a UNESCO Heritage Site, is a complex dating from different eras, the oldest originating in the 12th century. The layout is modeled after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
The Knights Templar, a French military order of the Catholic Church, were established to protect Crusaders in Jerusalem. The Portuguese branch helped finance the Age of Discovery through their innovative banking ideas, and Henry the Navigator was a prominent member. Tomar was strategically located between the Moors in the south and the Catholics in the north. Over time, opposing forces accused the order of bad behavior (spitting on the cross, homosexuality and other ”crimes”), and the Pope mounted his forces against them, prompting them to disband two centuries after their founding.
Exploring the Convento de Christo reinforces the wealth they amassed during their fairly short life. The church is massive, and covered in paintings, gilt and decorations,
The gardens are impressive.
Tonight we’re staying in Tomar, resting up for the last leg of our journey tomorrow.
(This post is out of order, as WordPress was misbehaving.)
We think of historical buildings in terms of decades or a couple hundred years. To be in buildings from centuries and centuries ago truly inspires awe! What dedication and craftsmanship was involved from dreaming to completion. True works of art.