Monday, October 28, 2019 Evora
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| University students beginning their class seem happy to see a group of US tourists. |
We toured the University of Evora, which was originally the community of the Jesuits. Evora was an important city in the middle ages and the city became the seat of an archbishopric in 1540. The university was founded by the Jesuits in 1559. In the 18th century, the Jesuits, who had spread intellectual and religious enlightenment since the 16th century, were expelled from Portugal, the university was closed in 1759 by the Marquis of Pombal, and Évora went into decline. The university was only reopened in 1973.
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| The main entrance at the University of Evora, a former Jesuit complex that has been repurposed |
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| Blue tiles line the staircase - a cheeky design of a stair rail on the opposite side of the real one |
A double-tiered baroque main building is the main university structure, which surrounds a large quadrangle. Marble pillars support the arches, and the ceilings are made of wood. Blue-and-white tiles line the inner courtyard. Other azulejos depict women, wild animals, angels, cherubs, and costumed men, and they line the classrooms and the great hall. Each room off the courtyard is assigned a title: geography, astronomy, etc.
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| The university quadrangle with central fountain |
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| The Great Hall - once the refractory, with a gorgeous wood ceiling and colored plaster decorations on the walls |
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| A large marble fountain, outside the refractory, which was once used for washing before meals |
We met a student traveling in her school uniform, including cape. Maria said JK Rowlings was writing Harry Potter when she was teaching in Portugal, and was inspired by the university uniforms here for her model of Hogwarts uniforms.
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| The student uniforms look very much like the model for the Harry Potter books |
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| Tiles from the 1700's line the classroom walls and depict the subjects of the room |
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| The Astronomy Room |
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| The Geography Room |
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