Between the alleys of the walled city, it is the Old Cathedral. This place has special meaning for those who attended the University of Coimbra. Annually, on a Thursday of May at night, the students wear their costumes and gather around the staircase of the church door. From there, the Monumental Serenade of Coimbra is played. it is announcing the celebration of the Burning of the Ribbons. It is a milestone in the academic life cycle. The Old Cathedral is not only part of the History of Coimbra, but of Portugal. In 1139, after the Battle of Ourique, Dom Afonso, just declared king, chose Coimbra to host the Portuguese kingdom. He decided to build this new Cathedral for the Capital. The constructions of its main structure last until the beginning of 13th century. Still in 1185, was crowned here the second king of Portugal, Dom Sancho I. The architectural relevance of the Old Cathedral is revealed by its state of conservation. It is a romantic exemplar from the time of the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula by the Christians. Even so, important interventions occurred in the 16th century. From that period, the presence of the Renaissance style in the south chapel and the two portals of the north facade stands out, besides the tiles inside the church.

I’m always skeptical about paying to enter a church, however this was definitely worth the €2.50. Make sure you get the paper guide and follow it. It’s extremely informative and ensures you explore all of the cathedral.

Lovely small and super ancient church, with a foundation stone left by the Visigoths. Also a very serene monestary addition with the coffin of the last Muslim ruler of the first Christian Portugal province

Really nice architecture. So bad it was closed as many places we tried to visit in Coimbra. Also, it was impossible to take a nice picture of the Facade because everything was full of cars.

There is an old cathedral and a new cathedral. I only visited the former. Tickets cost only Euro2.5 Besides the main hall, you also get to see an inner cloister.

The University of Coimbra is the oldest university in Portugal.....the chapel and old library are a must see!

The old (late- middle ages) cathedral of Coimbra is full of religious art and has been a place where local history happened. It is essential to visit the church with the claustro to appreciate this monumental landmark of Coimbra.

This church, set just below the university campus in the hilltop, is another treasure of Coimbra. Combining an austere early church with a Gothic cloister from the thirteenth century, it is a must for architecture and history buffs. Entrance costs 2.50 euros.

Nice to see I suppose if you are in the area. It is on a veeeery steep hill though, and not easily accessible.

Beautiful place with interesting history! 2,50€ is okay price for the entrance. Unfortunately, we were not offered to take audioguide, and it’s a pity since there are a lot of things, history of which you can know only by using the audioguide, but we’ve figured it out only on the half-way of the walking. Advise to the travelers - please remember to ask for an audioguide on the entrance, and go to Se Velha in the morning time, when there is not a lot of tourists and groups (we were at 9:15, there were no people except of us)

Best saint place in Coimbra by far! Old and historical site! To visit!!

Beautiful Romanesque cathedral with adjacent monastery. Some of the outside is currently under renovation. The main altarpiece has been added during the 1500's along with the Northern chapel dedicated to St. Peter. It tells the story of Mary and Jesus from birth to ascension. The chapel contains the retable of Jesus and the apostles. When I stepped inside, it felt majestic. It's a melange of really old foundation with some Renaissance art and architecture sprinkled on top.

This is probably the number one sight in Coimbra. It is very impressive. It is very old and there is a huge history behind it. You shall@not miss it.

A must visit place in Coimbra and the tickets are cheap. It is not crowded and tickets can be purchased at the cathedral. The cathedral is beautiful with amazing interiors, history and tombs. The courtyard and the view of the interiors surrounding the courtyard is amazing.

walking past and popped in. well worth it. they need funds to repair, but it's beautiful and well worthy of the experience.

two tickets cost €5, and we had only €3.5 in cash in total, still the ticket-man let us in which was nice of him And we were amazed by the authentic cloister of the cathedral. Definitely worth visiting

One of the Romanesque cathedrals in Portugal, unlike the others, has survived in a relatively original form. From the outside it looks more like a castle than a church. It is definitely worth to visit interiors as well.

Beautiful building, but it was under construction outside so you couldn´t really enjoy the views properly.

The oldest church in Coimbra. The ticket gives access to the church and the cloister. All pretty and beautiful. But sadly the construction work is still on and it spoils the view and the experinece

2.5e for the entrance fee. Access to the Romanesque church and the cloister. Quite informative about the tumultuous past of Coimbra.

Likewise the capital's Se, this is the oldest Cathedral in Coimbra. It's set beneath the University square plateau. However the first appearance was bad due to heavy construction works going on all around it. It's a 12c Romanesque edifice with a fortress like exterior. Interiors, paying a few Euros are interesting to see, but skippable if you saw the Lisbon's as are pretty much the same.

Interesting church and gothic cloister to visit. Like in all churches in Portugal there is a small fee to enter.

A compact city, a great workout while walking the streets. Lots of view points for photo's. Very affordable entrance fees to museums & cathedrals

Absolutely stunning. A small fee to pay to enter is well worth the sights and history you encounter here.

Beautiful church, with atmospheric inside. Worth seeing the monastery.