Sé Velha (Old Cathedral of Coimbra)

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Sé Velha, or the Old Cathedral of Coimbra, is a 12th-century Romanesque cathedral in Coimbra, Portugal, renowned for its fortress-like architecture and historical significance as one of the country’s best-preserved medieval churches.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Catholic church building
Romanesque cathedral
cultural heritage monument in Portugal
medieval church
alsoKnownAs Old Cathedral of Coimbra
architecturalStyle Gothic architecture (later additions)
Romanesque architecture
architecturalType cathedral
builtUnder King Afonso Henriques
completionDate late 12th century
consecrationYear 1184
constructionStart 12th century
c. 1162
country Portugal
currentUse parish church and historical monument
denomination Latin Church
diocese Diocese of Coimbra
founder Afonso I of Portugal
heritageDesignation Monumento Nacional
heritageStatus National Monument of Portugal
historicalUse seat of the Bishop of Coimbra
languageOfName Portuguese
locatedIn Centro Region
Coimbra NERFINISHED
Coimbra District
historic centre of Coimbra
locatedOn Mondego River valley (overlooking)
nativeName Sé Velha de Coimbra
notableFeature Gothic cloister from the 13th century
Latin cross floor plan
Manueline side chapels (later additions)
Romanesque capitals with vegetal and zoomorphic motifs
Romanesque portal with sculpted archivolts
barrel-vaulted nave
cloister
crenellated walls and towers
elevated choir
fortress-like exterior
groin-vaulted aisles
massive west façade
narrow defensive windows
painted altarpieces
tombs of bishops and nobles
predecessorBuilding earlier cathedral near the royal palace of Coimbra
religion Roman Catholicism
rite Roman Rite
significance important example of Portuguese Romanesque architecture
one of the best-preserved Romanesque cathedrals in Portugal
symbol of medieval Coimbra
tourism major tourist attraction in Coimbra

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Sé Velha ("Old Cathedral of Coimbra")
alsoKnownAs
Coimbra
hasLandmark
Sé Nova (New Cathedral of Coimbra) ("Old Cathedral of Coimbra as main cathedral")
replaced

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