Coimbra was so beautiful!

I spent the day visiting the Coimbra University which dates from the 1200s, and the famous Joanina library, which is known as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, with rare and ancient books, some of them relics,  and with resident bats! The bats protect the books by providing pest control and have been residents in the library for hundreds of years. They only come out at night (little random shout out to the smashing pumpkins here).

The time in the library is strictly monitored and limited to exactly 10 minutes, and pictures are not allowed. I'm honestly kind of glad I didn't spend that 10 minutes trying to take pictures, which I would have, and instead, took in the stunning artwork and overall aesthetic of the place. It really is an incredible place that literally made me gasp out loud as I entered.

In the basement of the library, there's an academic prison! Students were imprisoned for various offenses and escorted to their classes from here and then escorted back at night! Quite a drastic approach to classroom management, haha.

SE Velha below: