Lapa dos Esteios
Presentation
Category: Historic Garden
A mythical place in Coimbra's history, Lapa dos Esteios offers a unique view of the river and the city. Located about 2 km from Coimbra, Lapa dos Esteios is set in an idyllic location on the left bank of the Mondego River, part of the former Quinta das Canas, a beautiful 18th-century estate.
Originally owned by the Sá Pessoa family, it was only in the 19th century, with the intervention of the Melo Freire de Bulhões family, that the space gained the romantic spirit that prevails today.
Sung by poets and, for almost a century, a privileged venue for gatherings of famous intellectuals, this place still preserves a valuable heritage today.
The entrance is through a sumptuous gate, where you can still see the coat of arms of the Sá Pessoa family, followed by the garden and an avenue of plane trees, with the Fonte da Primavera fountain, dating from the 17th century. Also noteworthy is the set of statues representing Asia, the Fortress, and the Greek philosopher Diogenes.
The property was acquired in 1979 by the Guarda Fiscal, which undertook a major restoration project, as it was in an advanced state of disrepair at the time.
In addition to its architectural heritage, the site is also worth visiting for its trees, gardens, and plants, the lush riverside vegetation that lines the banks of the river, and the exceptional view over the city, where everything comes together harmoniously in a bucolic setting that brings to mind the nostalgia of other times, full of romanticism and beauty.
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The entrance is through a sumptuous gate, followed by the garden and a grove of plane trees with the Spring Fountain, dated from the 17th century. There is a group of statues with their backs to the city, works of great plastic value evoking the Fortress, Diogenes and asia. Others, among the trees and a little older, symbolise Faith, Hope, Charity and Death.
Besides the architectural heritage, the space is also worth visiting for its arboreal framing, the gardens and plants, the exuberant riverside vegetation that flanks the banks of the river and the exceptional view over the city.
Lapa dos Esteios is located on the left bank of the Mondego, at the southern exit of Coimbra, on the Lajes road.