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Every Wednesday, you're invited to hear our organist Paulo Bernardino at the St. Michael's Chapel of the University of Coimbra from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Admission is subject to the presentation of the tourist circuit ticket. Don't miss out on this special musical experience!

Representations of a king, in life or in death, always correspond to a projection with political content and symbolic meanings. Representing himself in a more idealised than real way, through various artistic manifestations, the sovereign sought to perpetuate his legacy and the legitimacy of his dynasty, as well as his memory and image, overcoming biological and physical contingencies. An example of this is the sculpture, probably already retouched and restored over the centuries, that lies on the tomb of King Dinis, who died in 1325 and is buried in the Odivelas Monastery, the portrait in the Sala dos Capelos or the monumental sculpture in Praça D. Dinis. Today we have a new representation of King Dinis, one of Portugal's most important monarchs and the founder of the Portuguese university. It is not, however, the result of an artist's imagination or the preferences of a commissioner. It is the first scientifically proven portrait of a Portuguese king, the result of contemporary scientific and technological advances, realized from his remains, namely his skull and genetic heritage: this is the face that science has given the King.   Facial anthropological reconstruction The opening of the monarch's tomb was accompanied by a multidisciplinary team of archaeologists, restorers, anthropologists, dental specialists and imaging experts, in partnership with national and international institutes, laboratories and universities. The main questions guiding the analyses were whether the skeleton really belonged to the King, what could be confirmed about the man and his life, and what new information could be learnt from reading his bones. The intervention was conducted in stages. After radiocarbon dating and the exhumation of the skeleton, an anthropological analysis was carried out at the Odivelas Monastery itself, which allowed the biological profile of the skeleton to be drawn up: it was confirmed to be a man, of robust complexion, over 60 years old at the time of death, with a European population affinity and a stature of around 165cm. As for pathologies, joint degenerations were identified in the vertebrae and hernias in some vertebral bodies. The dental analysis revealed the unexpected preservation of all the teeth, with only one developed cavity and two others in the early stages, as well as the existence of some periodontal disease.   Genetic analyses, which are still underway, have revealed that the King's biogeographical origin was European, that his eyes were blue in colour and that both his skin and hair were light-coloured. The facial reconstruction, in turn, was developed based on morphometric analysis and 3D scanning of the skull and jaw, also considering the data provided by the genetic analyses. The skull's excellent state of preservation was crucial to obtaining a reliable result in terms of the cranial shape, the height of the face, the prominence of the nose, the somewhat recessed chin, the slope of the forehead, the cheekbones and the robustness of the occiput. Among the aspects that could not be scientifically determined are the curly hair, beard and moustache, elements inspired by the very few contemporary representations of the King.  The thickness of the soft tissues is also not 100 per cent reliable because it also depends on the individual's body mass index, which is unknown.   Reconstructing the crown With no documentary, artistic or archaeological certainties that would allow the reconstruction of a crown without any doubt — no crown of the medieval Portuguese kings has survived to the present day — and knowing that monarchs had more than one crown in their treasuries, and that there was certainly at least one that was passed down between the first generations of Portuguese kings, it was agreed that the crown represented in the tomb of Pedro I, grandson of King Dinis and realistically executed during the monarch's lifetime (only 30 years after his grandfather's death), could serve as a reference model. Despite the model's formal proximity (cut-out, decorative motifs, arcature, height, etc.) it will always be impossible to determine with certainty which materials were used: whether gold or gilded silver, the exact gems used, precious, semi-precious or just vitreous, pearls, etc.   The exhibition is in the Private Examination Room. You can visit it with your tourist circuit ticket.

Have you ever visited the University of Coimbra at night? With the UC BY NIGHT program, you have the exclusive opportunity to get to know the most emblematic places of the University. Climbing up the Tower and listening to the charming Fado de Coimbra are some of the unique aspects of this guided visit. An exceptional experience that you cannot miss! See the promotional poster below. Tickets in:

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These visits, conducted by university guides, allow you to discover in more detail the Royal Palace, the Royal Chapel of St. Michael and the Joanine Library. Aimed at all audiences, they provide a better understanding of the historical and cultural value of this heritage, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2013. You can purchase your ticket and find more information at:

A visit to the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra and the UC Exploratório is an unmissable experience. This excellent program is ideal for family vacations or weekends away. We now offer a single ticket for all ages, which includes admission to the Chimico Laboratory, the Cabinet of Curiosities, and the Academic Museum, along with the Living Science Center on the left bank of the Mondego. Tickets may be purchased via the following link: