Elements of Roman Architecture” exhibition in the atrium of the Town Hall

The exhibition “Elements of Roman Architecture”, promoted by the Coimbra City Council Archaeology Office, is on display in the lobby of the City Hall. The exhibition, which is free to enter, can be visited until January 30, 2026.

The exhibition consists of two panels that present construction materials and techniques used in Roman times, with emphasis on the introduction of ceramic tiles on the roofs of buildings and the use of tegulae in funerary contexts.

One of the panels explains the roofing system adopted by the Romans, inspired by the Greek Corinthian tiles, which combined tegulae (flat tiles with side edges) with imbrices (curved tiles), ensuring the waterproofing of the buildings. This method marked a significant transformation in the architectural landscape of the time.

The second panel focuses on the use of tegulae in graves, with reference to the archaeological find of Senhora da Alegria, in Almalaguês, identified during work on the A13. At this site, a Roman grave was found with a box built in a tegulae, accompanied by an axe and more than a hundred iron tacks, interpreted as the remains of footwear. Some of the tiles bore the marks of potters and animals, testimonies that help identify the region’s production practices and fauna.

The exhibition was inaugurated on September 26, as part of the program to commemorate World Tourism Day, and was attended by the director of the municipality’s Culture and Tourism Department, Maria Carlos Pêgo.

Photographic credits: Coimbra City Council |Tiago Costa

Exhibition “Elements of Roman Architecture” in the atrium of the Town Hall – coimbra.pt