Monument
Seminário Maior de Coimbra
In the upper part of Coimbra, next to the Botanical Garden, we find one of the most impressive examples of Italian art in Portugal, with over 250 years of history.
This religious building located in the city of Coimbra has been classified as a National Monument since 22 April 2021.
It was initially built on 16 June 1748, at the request of D. Miguel da Anunciação, Bishop of Coimbra and 16th Count of Arganil, and was designed by Italian architects Giovani Tamossi and Giacomo Azzollini.
Its inauguration took place on 28 October 1765.
The Old Library of the Major Seminary of Coimbra is located in one of the rooms on the ground floor and contains a collection of around 9,000 books, considered to be of great historical and heritage value, printed between the early 16th century and 1800.
This place of rare beauty has a library with books dating back to 1507, which began to be formed with the donation of the private library of Bishop-Count Miguel da Anunciação, founder of the Seminary, and the collection was later increased with the regular addition of various works, through purchase and donation.
The Seminary was keen to establish a library that would meet the needs of all the students staying there: those destined for ecclesiastical life and those destined for civil life.
The decree abolishing religious orders, published on 30 May 1834, affected the university colleges of Coimbra and led to the dispersal of their rich libraries. Two libraries were preserved: that of the Royal College of São Pedro, which is now kept in the University’s General Library, and the Old Library of the Major Seminary.
The main characteristics of the Old Library are that it has been carefully selected, built up and maintained over three centuries, serving a well-identified community of teachers and students, and kept intact.
It resisted not only the effects of the 1834 Decree but also the process of secularisation of Church property that followed the establishment of the Republic in 1910.
With works in Latin, Portuguese, Spanish and French, the main subject areas of the Old Library of the Major Seminary of Coimbra are Theology, Law – Canonical and Civil – Sacred Scripture, History, Philosophy, Medicine, Law, Theology, History, Philosophy, Medicine, Law, Theology,
With works in Latin, Portuguese, Spanish and French, the main subject areas of the Old Library of the Major Seminary of Coimbra are Theology, Law – Canon and Civil – Holy Scripture, Humanities and History.
Suggestions
