The eighth edition of Sons da Cidade, the event that celebrates the classification of the University of Coimbra, Alta and Sofia as UNESCO World Heritage, will take place from June 18th to 26th and on July 7th. An edition dedicated to the theme “Travel to the Origins of Classified Heritage”, whose program includes guided tours and tours to classified spaces, virtual trips to the Santa Cruz Monastery, concerts with poetry declamations and webinars on Coimbra’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture in 2027 and the inclusion of the Machado de Castro National Museum in the UNESCO classified area.
“Travel to the origins of the city, to the genesis of its history in the national and European context. Come with us to the Machado de Castro National Museum, where the Roman city still breathes” or “walk through the old walls of the Santa Cruz Monastery, a great diffusion and creator of culture, the embryo of General Studies in Portugal”. These are the invitations of the organization, composed by Associação RUAS (Recreating the University, Alta and Sofia), by the City Council (CM) of Coimbra, by the University of Coimbra (UC) and by the Regional Directorate of Culture of the Center (DRCC). The event is now in its eighth edition and, this year, the proposal is to travel to the origins of the city’s classified heritage, highlighting the Machado de Castro National Museum and the entire area surrounding the Santa Cruz Monastery.
The program is divided into guided tours, in the “Máquina do Tempo 890” (which consists of face-to-face and virtual visits to the Monastery of Santa Cruz, which celebrates this year 890 years of its foundation, and which can take place from the Church of Santa Cruz or the Machado de Castro National Museum), in “Caminhos Conjuntos” (a cycle of four concerts in emblematic spaces of the city, accompanied by poetry recitations) and two webinars, one on Coimbra’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture in 2027 and another on the inclusion of the Machado de Castro National Museum in the UNESCO classified area.
During the presentation of the event, the councilor for Culture at CM Coimbra, Carina Gomes, was invited to travel to the Monastery of Santa Cruz using virtual reality glasses, which will be available at the Church of Santa Cruz and at the Museum. National Machado de Castro, for the public to travel virtually and explore this artistic heritage of Coimbra. “It’s an absolutely fantastic experience”, said Carina Gomes, advising everyone to try one of the two sets of four films proposed. The councilor for Culture also highlighted that this year the program will have, for the first time, two webinars, “one to take place on June 24th and the other on July 7th”. “The first about Coimbra’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture and the second about the inscription of the Machado de Castro National Museum on the world heritage list”, she added, also challenging the public to participate.
“The intention is to have a greater dialogue with the city, to feel the pulse of the city’s life and its spaces”, said, in turn, the vice-rector of the UC for Culture, Delfim Leão, who is also a member of the board. of the RUAS Association. From Friday onwards, residents and tourists are challenged “to a kind of dive into the city”, getting to know in different ways “a heritage that is completely inhabited and with a life that pulsates every day”, he added. The president of Associação RUAS and vice-rector of the UC for Heritage, Alfredo Dias, highlighted the fact that the proposed initiatives bet on a “combination between historical research and virtual reality”.
Sons da Cidade starts on Friday, at 3 pm, with a visit to the Church of Santa Cruz, guided by Maria de Lurdes Craveiro, director of the Machado de Castro National Museum, for a maximum of 10 participants. The reservation is mandatory and must be made to the email reservas.jazzaocentro@gmail.com. The organization reminds, in its promotional material, that it is always mandatory to wear a mask and that all norms and rules stipulated by the Health authorities for the realization of events will be complied with. On Saturday, the program continues, with a new visit, at 10:00 am, entitled “From retreat to public gardens”, which includes a walking route through the former Quinta do Mosteiro de Santa Cruz.
@ Coimbra
