Tropical Greenhouses of University of Coimbra's Botanical Garden / João Mendes Ribeiro

The Tropical Greenhouses and the new on-site Science Corner are located in the high town of Alta de Coimbra. They belong to the University’s Botanical Garden built in 1772 by the Marquis de Pombal. The Tropical Greenhouses, completed in 1859, are one of the first examples of iron architecture in Portugal, their reference being the Kew Gardens greenhouses in England. The intervention in the greenhouses involved restoring and recuperating the existing structures and implementing suitable technical solutions for the growth of the plants and for the use of the space, namely for receiving visits. These conditions implied new shading and ventilation means, to guarantee the appropriate hygrometric and moisture levels and access to and within the building.