Page 198 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

4 "
Sé Nova
⌂ Largo da Sé Nova
§ 239 823 138 # 9:30am–
6pm Mon–Sat, 10am–
12:30pm Sun
Nova, or new, is a relative term,
EXPERIENCE The Beiras the Jesuits in 1598. Located a Paths leading up to an ornate stone
as this church was founded by
short walk from the university,
their adjacent Colégio das
Onze Mil Virgens is today part
of the sciences faculty. The
Jesuit Order was banned by
the Marquês de Pombal in
1759 but their church became
The university is still a centre
the episcopal seat in 1772. 5 fountain in the Jardim Botânico
Jesuit saints still look out for the study of flora.
from the façade. Jardim Botânico The entrance, near the
The interior, more spacious ⌂ Calçada Martim de 16th-century aqueduct of São
than the Sé Velha (p196), is Freitas § 239 855 215 Sebastião, leads into 20 ha
barrel-vaulted, with a dome # Apr–Sep: 9am–8pm daily; (50 acres) devoted to a
over the crossing. To the left Oct–Mar: 9am–5:30pm daily remarkable collection of some
of the entrance is a Manueline- 1,200 plants, including many
style octagonal font brought, These, Portugal’s largest rare and exotic species. The
with the choir stalls, from the botanical gardens, were gardens are used for research,
Sé Velha. The paintings above created in 1772 when the but are laid out as pleasure
the stalls are copies of Italian reforming Marquês de gardens, with greenhouses
masters. The altar piece in the Pombal (p45) introduced and a wild area overlooking
17th-century chancel, the study of natural history the Mondego river.
featuring more Jesuit saints, at the University of Coimbra.
is flanked by a pair of 18th-
century organs.
6 "
Santa Clara-a-Nova
⌂ Alto de Santa Clara
§ 239 441 674 # Apr–Sep:
10am–7pm daily (to 6pm
Oct–Mar)
The vast “new” convent of the
Poor Clares was built between
1649 and 1677 to house the
nuns from Santa Clara-a-Velha
(p199) on drier land uphill. The
building was designed by a
mathematics professor, João
Turriano, and although
intended as a convent, now
serves in part as a barracks
for the army.
In the richly Baroque
church, pride of place is given
to the silver tomb of Santa
Isabel, installed in 1696 and

A 17th-century gilt-and-
wood sculpture of a saint
on the Sé Nova’s altarpiece
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