2009 – Oct  :  5 - Day trip to the North of Portugal (Coimbra, Guimarães)

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Travelling north from the Algarve it’s always fascinating to see the landscape change. From cork trees to olive to vineyards to corn and of course always interspersed with the ever present pine trees.
At about one o’clock we arrived at the archaeological site and museum of Conímbriga where after lunch we were guided by Maria Jose. Conímbriga , meaning a ‘high rocky place’, was inhabited from the 9th century BC until the 7th or 8th century AD. When the Romans arrived here in the second half of the first century BC it was already a thriving village, and under Roman influence it rapidly became a prosperous city. Sadly in 465 AD the Swabians captured and sacked the city. Many of the inhabitants fled with their Bishop to Coimbra and established a strong Christian community. The remains of the Roman wall and the outstanding mosaics are truly awesome.
We stayed in Coimbra and via a romantic garden with panoramic views of the city and tablets exhibiting poetry by locals and students among the plants and trees, we went on to the University where Maria Jose explained the many aspects and traditions of student life. The black gowns and cloaks date back to the days when the clergy ran the University and only Latin was spoken. The old University square is reached by the impressive 6th century arch after which one sees the famous Tower built in l728 which has become the symbol of not only the University but also the actual city of Coimbra.

The highlight of the visit was the Baroque Library. Originally built in the time of King Joao V one stands in wonder at the rows and rows of valuable books, over 200,000 volumes.  (Below)
We moved on to the Museum National de Machado de Castro which has been constructed over the original Roman Forum. The dateable materials (pottery, glass and coins) found in the foundations of the building show that the cryptoporticus and the forum it supported are contemporary with the Claudian era (mid 1st Century AD). An incredible place with magnificent galleries. Most notable of the finds were the busts of Trajan, Vespasian, Agrippa, and Livia. The café where we lunched was a neo-manuelin building constructed in 1530 originally as a parish church.
Our next destination was the old Cathedral which was once a Mosque. It has an outward appearance of a fortress as when it was taken back from the Moors it was fortified against their return. The interior is quietly impressive with a great sense of peace.
We also visited the neighbourhood of Santa Clara on the other side of the Mondego river where the convent of Santa Clara was erected. Of the medieval structure only the ruined church remains standing. The new 17th century convent is imposing in stature and is clearly visible at the top of the Hill of Hope (Monte de Esperança).
The next day we travelled to Guimarães which is the birth place of Portugal as declared by the Pope in 1179. Following the lunch our guide Sophia took us to the Guimarães Castle which dates back to the time of Mumadona Dias a very strong lady who arranged for the erection of the castle to defend Guimarães Monastery which she had founded in 950.
However, the oldest elements that have been found up to date are from the second half of the 11th century. The castle outline that we see today dates from the reign of King Dinis (1279-1325). Following use as a quarry, a prison, and a military barracks, it was classified as a National Monument in 1881 and restored to the present condition in 1937.
Walking the old road through town we happened on some sort of parade. It was the parade of the Freshmen from the University, accompanied by the more mature students dressed in black gowns and cloaks with tricorn hats. Lots of noise of drums, made from cans of beer, which it seems the students are obliged to drink. According to Sophia, the first thing the newcomers have to learn is to drink beer. The harsh parading and the deadly noise is to teach the freshmen what to expect during the first year of study. Each faculty has its own section, each with its own banner representing the subject to be studied. The parade ends at the town hall where the doors are flung open so that the Mayor can hear the students sing or chant their dedication to the University and the City.
The next day a twisting mountainous road took us to the hillside settlement of Citânia de Briteiros which was one of the largest historical fortified towns in the Iberian Peninsula. Its study began in 1875 when Francisco Martins Sarmento(1833-1899) who lived in the local village discovered pieces of Roman pottery on the hillside where he took his walks. Thinking there must be more he started the excavations. As he continued to discover more remains he decided to buy the land which on his death he donated to the Martins Sarmento Society. With our guide we walked along the ancient roads. He pointed out the remains of a circular stone house which would have been the building where the nuclear family lived.
Surrounding this house are more angular structures where agricultural implements and tools were kept and maybe some food was stored. Many questions have been raised since the discovery of this vast site. Which peopleor peoples inhabited the family compounds? Where had they come from and how did they develop? Would they have survived the impact of the Romans? Excavations continue and maybe some day these questions will be answered.
Finally we visited the Castro Culture Museum established in the old family house of Sarmento where artefacts discovered on site are displayed: earrings, hair pins, needles, coins, ceramic pottery marked with the potters “trade mark”.

The next day we returned to the Algarve after an informative and interesting trip.