Credit: Câmara Municipal de Coimbra
The Coimbra Mikveh was officially inaugurated on May 18, in a ceremony held as part of the International Museum Day celebrations, and is now open to the public as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries linked to the Jewish presence in Portugal.
The event took place at the Inquisition Building and brought together representatives from the municipality, academia, and institutions linked to culture and tourism, marking the presentation of an integrated approach combining research, preservation, and the touristic enhancement of this heritage.
Located on Rua Visconde da Luz, the Mikveh — a Jewish ritual structure associated with purification baths — was discovered in 2013 and stands out for its authenticity and historical importance as a material testimony of the Jewish community in Coimbra.
At the event, the Mayor of Coimbra, Ana Abrunhosa, emphasized the symbolic meaning of the opening, describing the Mikveh as an element that connects “memory, identity, and the future,” and reinforced the ambition to fully integrate it into the city’s cultural life and visitor circuits.
She also highlighted Coimbra’s growing prominence in the field of Jewish heritage, particularly through its inclusion in the Portuguese Network of Jewish Quarters and its future accession to international networks dedicated to the preservation of Jewish cultural heritage.
Credit: Câmara Municipal de Coimbra
From the academic side, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra, Albano Figueiredo, underlined the strengthening of institutional cooperation, particularly in supporting research projects on the Jewish presence in the city, including incentives for master’s students working in this field.
A new tourist route dedicated to Coimbra’s Jewish history was also presented, connecting key sites across the city linked to this memory, such as former Jewish quarters, the Fonte Nova, the former Inquisition building, and the Mikveh itself, promoting an integrated reading of the urban landscape.
As part of cultural and tourism development efforts, a specialized training program in Jewish tourism was also announced, developed in partnership with regional entities and Coimbra’s School of Hospitality and Tourism, aimed at training professionals to interpret this heritage for both national and international audiences.
Visits to the site will cost €5 per person, with free admission for children up to 12 years old. Access will be limited to four daily sessions, in small groups with guided accompaniment, in order to ensure the preservation of the site.
