New Cathedral of Coimbra
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The New Cathedral of Coimbra (Portuguese: Sé Nova de Coimbra) is the current bishopric seat of the city of Coimbra, in Portugal. The Cathedral is located near the historical University of Coimbra in the upper part of the town (Alta de Coimbra).
The New Cathedral was, originally, the church of the Jesuit College of Coimbra, established in the city in 1541. The church started being built in 1598, designed by the official architect of the Portuguese Jesuits, Baltasar Álvares, whose project was influenced by the church of the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon. Building work proceeded slowly; the church was open for mass in 1640, but it was inaugurated only in 1698.
In 1759, the Jesuit Order was banned from Portugal by the Marquis of Pombal, Prime-Minister of King José I. In 1772, the bishopric seat was transferred from the old romanesque Cathedral of the city (now called the Old Cathedral of Coimbra) to the vacant, spacious and more modern Jesuit church.
The niches of the façade of the New Cathedral carry four statues of Jesuit saints. The baroque decoration of the upper part of the façade, finished in the beginning of the 18th century, contrasts with the lower part, which follows a rigid mannerist style. The interior, covered with barrel vaulting, has one nave with several lateral chapels and a transept with a dome and cupola. The transept and main chapel of the apse are decorated with huge, magnificent gilt wood altarpieces built between the 17th and 18th centuries. The lateral chapels of the nave have altarpieces in mannerist and baroque styles.
The 17th-century choir stalls of the main chapel were brought from the Old Cathedral, as well as the beautiful stone baptismal font, carved by Pero and Felipe Henriques in late Gothic-manueline style in the beginning of the 16th century.
