Joanina Library

Stunning library, no pictures allowed inside sadly. Tickets are needed and there are specific times to enter.

Very nice library, too bad you can't take pictures on the top floor. 10 euros for students <26 yo. I went there in april and there wasn't a line, like other commnets suggested

The Joanina Library is an exponent of baroque art. It is considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. It was built in the early 18th century by order of the King John 5th, motivated by a request from the University of Coimbra to expand its old library. Its architecture is generally compared to a temple, secular, to worship Wisdom (also another name to refer to the university). However, this work tells a lot about the greatness of Portugal, as you can see in the interior decoration. Portugal of the early 18th century was a powerful empire spread across four continents. Its economy shone with the discovery of extensive deposits of gold in the colony of Brazil at the end of the previous century. In this context, generous amounts were invested in the library, which are reflected in all its exuberance. The library doors are open every 20 minutes. In the summer, there are night visits to the Royal Palace, which includes the library, which can be seen as it rarely is. Tickets for programs that include the Joanina Library are sold by the General Library building reception. The first image the visitor sees after cross the main portal is the portrayal of John 5th at the end of the three rooms, as it was an altar of a church. All the three rooms have the walls covered with oak shelves carved with oriental motif prints (a trend of time). The stairs to reach the books in the highest shelves are hidden in gaps of the furniture. Likewise, the stair supports are extensible from the shelves, looking like mere decorative details when retracted. There are harmoniously designed doors under each window of the 3 rooms. These discreet passages lead to the cabinets, which provided more privacy for studies. The accesses to the top floor are not in evidence in the landscape. They are made through the doors that merge in the frames between rooms and next of the shelves, behind the frames. To complete the aesthetic wealth of the library, in the ceiling of each of the rooms there is a thematic painting, with Wisdom in the centre. The first room has shelves in greenish tones, a possible allusion to the theme of nature, of the world (idea reinforced by the engraving on the ceiling). In the crown moulding there are four female figures. Each one of them represents one part of the 4 continents, all being reached by the Portuguese dominion: Africa, Asia, America and Europe. On the centre image: the sky, with Wisdom lying on clouds with a book in hand. In the 2nd room the wisdom image carries with it a winnowing: this does not seem to be to separate the wheat from the chaff, but for selecting the blessed, who are distinguished by their honour, fame, fortune and virtue - represented in the four lateral female figures. In the 3th room the art on the ceiling shows, along with the Wisdom, a ribbon with a text. This is a reference to the poetic work of Virgil, Aeneida, quoting a passage about the golden branch - an allusion to the importance of the sacrifice, the knowledge and experience to triumph. The four figures in the crown represent Art, Music, Justice and Theology. From its collection that reached more than 500,000 copies, the library exposes surroundings of 55,000 books of the main works of the XVI to XVIII centuries, the others are in the General Library of the University. Amidst the busy traffic of visitors, the presence of bats is rarely witnessed in the library. These small inhabitants keep insects from damaging books. The library is a inviting shelter for this creatures, an stable environment, at a constant temperature between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius. It is necessary for the preservation of the books and for the continuity of these tiny guardians. Every afternoon the furniture is protected against the humus of the bats by leather covers and on the next morning it is discovered for visitation - a centenary ritual.

The google maps directions for accessing the library are not correct. The entrance to the library and university grounds is through the Porta Ferrea which is not the location google maps will direct you to.

Beautiful historic library that is a must see even though you get 20 minutes to visit and it is 12€ for adults and 9€ for seniors. In addition to the library, you'll get to visit the Chapel, the Castle and the Science Museum, which is very fascinating with thousands of 18th & 19th century instruments and Earth species. You enter the library from two floor below and they allow five minutes on the first and second floor, where photos are allowed. On the first floor there are a bunch of old jail cells. On the second floor, there are some books and artifacts. You are then ushered to the library main floor where you get 10 minutes to explore this magnificent room. This is where photo taking is prohibited. Even with all sorts of verbal and signage warning about "no photos", there are still those who go for it and then they get chastised. Only if people would learn to respect the environment where air temprature, humidity and light is constantly controlled to protect these valuable books up to 500 years old! Entry is timed for every 20 minutes and in all honesty 20 minutes is sufficient time. Tickets are not sold at the library. As you enter the University campus and before you get to the library you'll be going through a square where you'll see signs directing you to the ticket office. This is not a working library as the University has a new library. If a scholar wants to review one of the books, the book is transported to the new library and that person gets to review it in a special temperature/light controlled room. The building was specifically built for a library with it's exterior wall thickness of 3 meters and 11 centimeter to provide the maximum temperature protection. The wood for the main doors, book cases and interior doors are from jacaranda tree and were imported from Brasil. The gold for the wall paintings also came from Brasil. The bookcases are not attached to the wall to allow air movement behind them. The ecosystem of the library is very unique and they do not use any pesticides and chemicals to eliminate pests and insects that might destroy the books. They do however have a colony of resident bats that come out at night that eat the insects. There are 3 specific sections dedicated to books on religion, medicine & civil dating back to 16th, 17th & 18th century.

A historical small-sized library inside a grand building (which looks like a castle). There were three levels to visit. The first floor used to be academic prison. The second floor was the reading area for academic prison guard. This part is not much decorated. The top floor is the ancient library where there used to be just 150 volumes stored. The place ia totally worth visiting. Don't forget that 12 euros are for the old library, royal palace abd chapel. In addition, the plaze area outside is nice as well.

So this a highlight of Coimbra. But... The tickets can not be purchases at the place, you need to do that at a shop fare away, or online. The place is not well organized and me and my friend needed to ask for directions all the time. Facepalm for this organization. Another thing is that when you are already inside, there are two floors. One like regular historical library, another one as the super duper fancy that everyone visits the place for. For unspoken reason, it's not possible to take a picture at that fancy part and you as a visitor are very much observed not to do that. I don't understand and I have a feeling like this is rip off.

The library is very beautiful with very nice Baroque style. There are no pictures allowed in the beautiful/fancy part of the library so it was a bummer. Only four stars because people are only allowed to be in the library for 20 min (5 min in the academic prison, 5 min in the historical book section, 10 min in the fancy/most beautiful pet of the library) somehow it feels a bit too expensive for a very short visit.