Fotos

Paço das Escolas, Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra - Portugal

Hi trekers! I present you my first Panorama! :)
I'm starting a sequence of photos from University of Coimbra (i will say U.C.), since i possess a great admiration for it and since i realize that you would enjoy as much as me ;)
I have been waiting to capture some photos of this University, particulary, of "Paços das Escolas", one place of U.C.
The photo isn't totally was i wished, but it's very close of what i had in mind, that was, mainly, capture structures of U.C.'s "Paço das Escolas".

Now you say:
- ... bla, bla, ok, ok. But what's U.C.'S "Paço das Escolas?
- Wow! Stay calm! ;) First of all, what's U.C.?
Some of you must know what's University of Coimbra. Principalmente os portugueses ;D
U.C. it's a public university in Portugal, the oldest one. This University was very important not only because it gave to know some of the most notables Portuguese personalities world-wide known (eg. Nobel Prize of Medicina Egaz Moniz, Portuguese statesman António de Oliveira Salazar, etc) but also because a long time ago, kings who had governed Portugal were responsible of U.C., being it's "Protectors", so they could nominate professors and statutes.
During more than seven centuries of existence, the university was growing, first only in "Alta de Coimbra" - I think that translation is "Coimbra's Uptown" - an then for all the city, being today linked to science, technology and diffusion of the Portuguese culture in the world.
With so many years of existence, U.C. brings with it a large and great tradition, who passes for the existence of "Praxe" (Students from 2nd and higher school year play some "integration tricks" with the students that are starting that year their life in such graduation - i was one of them :P), "academic suit", Queima das Fitas, etc, etc.

Now that you have a small notion of what's U.C. (i had to say that! :P), let's pass to "Paço das Escolas".

As you can see in the image, "Paço das Escolas" has: (i will try to make some direct translations!)

Left side (West): "Escadas de Minerva" - "Minerva's (Press?) stairs" (they are not in the image, but in the future i will show you! i promess ;D), "Biblioteca Joanina" - "Joanina Library" (the 1st on left) and "Capela São Miguel" - "Chapel of S. Miguel", nexto to the Tower.

Front (North): "Torre: A Cabra" - "Tower: (called by the students: The Goat", "Via Latina" (with Sala dos Capelos + Sala da Reitoria).

Right (East): "Porta Férrea" - "Railway door" (the entrance of "Paço das Escolas", in N.E.) and other dependences of "Paço das Escolas", not that important.

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Changes i made in the photo:
- Added some contrast.
- A little of Unsharp Mask.
- Used Arcsoft Panorama Maker 4.0 to stitch all 6 photos.
- Made rotation 2º: to make the structure that is in the center horizontal.
- Added legend.
- Added copyrights (just to have fun :P) - WARNING: we are not in 200! ;|

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Wow, today i wrote too much. This occupied my all night, hope you enjoy :D


In the future, I will post in detail some of these structures. Wait to see ;)

(I was searching for other photos on T.E. related to Coimbra and it's University and i found this post of stego that i would like you too see. It also describes the university here )

Sorry my english mistakes!