Coimbra - 20 Best Places to Visit in Portugal - page 18

History & Culture
Founded by the Romans as 'Aeminium', the city was under the administration of Conim-
briga until the Visigoths attacked in the 6 th Century and the Romans made Aeminium the
seat of a dioceses due to its more easily defended heights and changed its name to Coim-
bra. The Moorish invasion in the early 8 th Century led to a time of growth and prosperity
for the city, until the Christians reconquered the lands in the 12 th Century.
The city became capital of Portugal in 1145 and remained so for a century until Afonso
III decided to move the capital to Lisbon. Portugal's first university, the Universidade
de Coimbra, was actually founded in Lisbon in 1290, but moved to Coimbra in 1537.
Throughout the Age of Discovery, French sculptures such as Nicolas Chanterene set up a
school in the city which left important Renaissance and Manueline works behind and influ-
enced styles across the country. Today, the university remains the most prestigious in the
country and is the lifeblood of the city.