Sé Velha de Coimbra

The Sé Velha of Coimbra

The Sé Velha is the old cathedral of Coimbra, one of the most expressive testimonies of Romanesque art in Portugal. The Coimbra audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this sanctuary built in the time of the first king of the country, with the appearance of a fortress.

The old Romanesque cathedral of the first king

The Sé Velha, the old cathedral of Coimbra, is one of the most expressive and oldest testimonies of Romanesque art in Portugal. As if frozen in time, it was built between 1162 and 1320, under the reign of Afonso Henriques, first king of Portugal. It has the particularity of being the only Portuguese cathedral built at the time of the Reconquista over the Muslim peoples whose structure is still intact today. Its direction was entrusted to the French masters Bernardo and Roberto, to whom we also owe the works of the cathedral of Lisbon. With its massive fortress appearance, its battlements and its Romanesque austerity, the building impresses as much as it moves. Inside, you admire the nave, the altarpiece and the cloister. A major sanctuary and a jewel of Romanesque art, the Sé Velha of Coimbra is discovered with respect.

What to see

You admire, with respect, the old Romanesque cathedral built between 1162 and 1320 under Afonso Henriques, first king of Portugal, the only cathedral of the Reconquista era to have remained intact, with a massive fortress appearance with battlements, directed by the French masters Bernardo and Roberto, with its nave, its altarpiece and its cloister. The Sé Velha is a jewel of Romanesque art of Coimbra. It is a major stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Sé Velha lies in the old upper town of Coimbra, reachable on foot by climbs. A place of worship and monument, it can be visited with respect; the visit follows its own hours and conditions, which vary. It is best to check them before coming and to respect the sacred character of the place.

What is particular about the Sé Velha of Coimbra?

Built between 1162 and 1320 under Afonso Henriques, first king of Portugal, it is the only Portuguese cathedral built at the time of the Reconquista whose structure has remained intact; with the appearance of a fortress, it is a major testimony of Romanesque art.

Where is the Sé Velha of Coimbra?

In the old upper town of Coimbra, in Portugal.