The early history of the institution that would become the University of Coimbra dates back to 1290, when King D. Dinis signed the famous Scientiae Thesaurus Mirabilis. The document, later recognized by the Pope Nicholas IV, originated the General Study a century after the birth of the Portuguese nation.
The General Survey opened in Lisbon in 1308 and was transferred to Coimbra a few years later. However, the institution would jump between both cities several times until 1537, when Coimbra was chosen to be the definitive home of the university.
The institution was originally confined to the Royal Palace. Today, the buildings that make up the university campus are spread across the city. Many of them – like the Biblioteca Joanina (Baroque Library), which was recently awarded by the European Union – are now part part of the list of UNES CO’s Heritage of Humanity.
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