Coimbra — The Bat Legion's Codex

Your journey begins at Praça da República, Coimbra's central square and the starting point of this urban exploration. Surrounded by administrative and commercial buildings dating from Portugal's urban modernization period (1880-1920), this square offers direct access to the main pedestrian arteries connecting the historic center to the university districts. It is here that the first puzzles will guide you towards the Aqueduto de São Sebastião, a 16th-17th century hydraulic work, whose 500-meter long stone arches bear witness to the ingenuity of Portuguese engineering in supplying the city with running water.

Continue towards the Colégio de São Jerónimo, a university building founded in the 16th century and part of Coimbra's academic complex. Its Manueline and Portuguese Renaissance architecture, with a 16th-17th century interior cloister, will immerse you in the intellectual fervor of the era. You will then reach the Sé Nova de Coimbra, a cathedral built between 1598 and 1698. This major religious edifice in the city center, with its ornate façade in late Manueline and Portuguese Baroque style, is located at Largo da Sé Nova, approximately 400 meters from your starting point.

Your quest will lead you to the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, founded in 1913 and housed in the Palácio da Cutilaria, an old 16th-17th century palace. This museum holds approximately 15,000 works, including collections of sculptures by Machado de Castro, paintings, and Portuguese decorative arts, offering insight into the baroque architectural heritage. It is here, at Largo Dr. José Neves Júnior, that clues related to the life and work of the illustrious sculptor will help you decipher the secrets of the Codex.

To reach the next stage, you will tackle the famous Escadas do Quebra Costas, the 17th-century historic staircase connecting the lower city center to the upper university district. Its name, meaning 'back-breaking stairs', refers to its steep slope of over 100 steps, an emblematic pedestrian route in Coimbra's historic center. Finally, you will pass through the Porta Férrea, the monumental entrance gate to the University of Coimbra, built in 1634. Its baroque decoration, with allegorical sculptures representing sciences and knowledge, is a symbol of the University of Coimbra, a UNESCO site since 1985.

Your journey culminates at the Biblioteca Joanina, founded in 1717 by King John V himself. Located within the University of Coimbra campus, approximately 600 meters from your starting point, this baroque library contains around 60,000 rare books and manuscripts. It is here that you will discover the fascinating anecdote of bats living in the library every night to hunt insects harmful to the collections, a unique natural protection system in Europe. This route will have allowed you to delve into the history of Coimbra, a university city and Portuguese historical monument, revealing its secrets and its baroque architectural heritage through a captivating GPS scavenger hunt.