Igreja de Santa Cruz

Coimbra has over 50 churches. Each of them has it's own history and beauty, but Santa Cruz certainly stands out. 

Location

It is located in a main square in Coimbra downtown called Praça 8 de Maio (or May 8th in English). It's a very touristic place, where you can find lots of cafes, and admire the cute portuguese buildings, covered in mosaics and tiles. 

In the middle of the square there is a fountain and sometimes, during the nights, there are some music spectacles that take place there. The church is lightened and it becomes a very special scenery.

History

Santa Cruz is also one of the oldests churches in Coimbra. It has more than eight hundred years (but it was almost completely reformed 500 years ago - only some parts of it are original). 

Inside you will find walls covered in portuguese tiles, a beautiful organ and the mausoleum of Portugal's first king. You can also visit the chuch's cloister, where the monks used to live from the 12th to the 17th century. 

Why visit

It was one of the first thing I visited in Coimbra and it made me fall in love with the town. How can it be that a city is inhabited by so many young people (due to its university) and it has so many old places like this at the same time?

Really impressive. It's a must see in town!