Pormenor da colunata do Colégio das Artes na Rua da Sofia, SP, 2007 Detail of the College of Arts colonnade, Sofia Street, SP, 2007
Pormenor da fachada do Colégio do Espírito Santo na Rua da Sofia, SP, 2007 Detail of the façade of Espírito Santo College on Sofia Street, SP, 2007
tipologias, porém dotadas de ampla flexibilidade e destinadas a influenciar poderosamente (desde logo no que respeita à estrutura claustral) a arquitectura portuguesa subsequente. Assim, enquanto o Colégio Real, como instituição laica que era, materializava uma matriz dita palaciana, filiada na arquitectura civil e que seria retomada nos colégios de S. Paulo, S. Pedro, Ordens Militares e Lóios (todos na Alta), a maioria e desde logo a generalidade dos que se estabeleceriam na Rua da Sofia (como o Colégio da Graça, fundado em 1534, ou os do Espírito Santo, Nossa Senhora da Conceição, S. Tomás e Carmo), mas também no velho casco medieval, em redor do Paço (como os da Trindade, S. Jerónimo, S. Bento, Santo Agostinho, Santo António da Pedreira ou S. José dos Marianos), promovida pelas ordens religiosas, optaria por soluções em articulação com a tradição da arquitectura monástica urbana. Enfim, um modelo particular de colégio-residência seria materializado na edificação, a partir da cedência dos respectivos terrenos pela Coroa, em 1548, do Colégio de Jesus, com a sua igreja pública monumental e ampla praça fronteira, que deverá ter amplamente beneficiado dos projectos entretanto delineados para esse local no quadro da transferência da Universidade para a Alta. Com o seu abandono, porém, alongar-se-ia a estadia da escola no Palácio Real, onde viria a fixar-se definitivamente e que esta, por via disso, sucessivamente ocupa na quase totalidade e subtilmente adapta às suas necessidades funcionais. E dessa primeira fase da ocupação escolar (organicamente centrada na ala poente, dos “aposentos da Rainha”) quedariam vestígios, a um tempo no património edificado e na documentação. A essa intervenção, pertence, com efeito, a projecção, em 1561, segundo traça de João de Ruão, da nova torre horária, raro e original dispositivo da arquitectura universitária, substituída, em 1728, pela
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descrição do bem description of the property
Pormenor do portal da igreja do Colégio da Nossa Senhora da Graça na Rua da Sofia, SP, 2007 Detail of the portal of the church of Nossa Senhora da Graça College on Sofia Street, SP, 2007
The Royal College, being a secular institution, was palatial in style, inspired by civil architecture, a pattern that was repeated in the colleges of St Paul, St Peter, Military Orders and Loyos (all in the Upper Town). However, most of the others, such as those on Rua da Sofia (the College of Grace, founded in 1534, and the Colleges of the Holy Spirit, Our Lady of the Conception, St Thomas and Carmo) and others within the old medieval shell around the Palace (such as Trinity College, the Colleges of St Jerome, St Benedict, St Augustus, St Anthony of the Quarry or St Joseph of the Marians), which were promoted by the religious orders, opted for solutions that were in keeping with the tradition of urban monastic architecture. Thus, a particular model of residential college came into being with the building of the College of Jesus, after the granting of the respective land by the Crown. With its monumental public church and broad square, it would have amply benefited from the projects already defined for that site within the framework of the transfer of the University to the Upper Town. However, since those projects were abandoned, the university continued to occupy the Royal Palace, and was ultimately established there definitively, gradually occupying almost the whole of it, subtly adapting it to its functional needs. There are vestiges in the constructed and documented heritage of this first phase of the university’s occupation of the palace (when it was centred in the western wing, the Queen’s quarters). This phase also included the planning of a new clock tower, in 1561, according to a design by Jean de Rouen. This was a rare and original aspect of university architecture, which was replaced in 1728 by the one that exists today, now the main icon of Coimbra university and even of the city itself. It was also in this period that the work that became the most expressive icon of the “reform” was carried out: the reinforcement of the main chapel. This was also planned by Jean de Rouen, the man that would soon be entrusted with the plans for the Royal College of Arts (or, as it was known then, “the French college of Master André”).