A nice UNESCO cover from Portugal with a miniature sheet depicting the University of Coimbra, included in Unesco World Heritage sites since 2013. Situated on a hill overlooking the city, the University of Coimbra with its
colleges grew and evolved over more than seven centuries within the old town.
Notable university buildings include the 12th century Cathedral of Santa
Cruz and a number of 16th century colleges, the Royal Palace of
Alcáçova, which has housed the University since 1537, the Joanine Library with
its rich baroque decor, the 18th century Botanical Garden and University
Press, as well as the large “University City” created during the 1940s. The
University’s edifices became a reference in the development of other
institutions of higher education in the Portuguese-speaking world where it also
exerted a major influence on learning and literature. Coimbra offers an
outstanding example of an integrated university city with a specific urban
typology as well as its own ceremonial and cultural traditions that have been
kept alive through the ages.
