Coimbra, city, west central Portugal, capital of Coimbra District, on the Mondego River. The city is on the site of the ancient Roman city of Aeminium, but its name is derived from the bishopric of Conimbriga, which was moved to the area in the 9th century AD. The Spanish soldier of fortune known as El Cid captured the city from the Moors in 1064. Coimbra was the capital of Portugal from 1139 to about 1260.
The city is a center for small industries but is best known for its university, the oldest one in Portugal. The University of Coimbra was founded (1290) by King Diniz in Lisbon, and after several moves was permanently settled at Coimbra in 1537. The city contains a magnificent library, museums, an aqueduct rebuilt on Roman foundations, and a number of important churches and monasteries, among which are a Romanesque cathedral dating from the 12th century and the 16th-century Church of Santa Cruz. Population (1981) 74,616.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Coimbra Information info
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