Joanine Library

About this place

Construction began in 1717 under John V, whose name the library bears. Located within the University of Coimbra, this Baroque building reflects the status of scholarship and royal patronage. View the library as both a collection of historic books and an architectural celebration of learning. Its setting inside the university links the monument with the broader history of education in Coimbra. The preserved volumes represent the practical purpose behind the rich architectural treatment. Thinking about readers, teaching and the safeguarding of books adds a human dimension to rooms often admired primarily for their decoration.