Bats, Books, and Bunsen Burners.

This morning we walked, or should I say struggled, up to Coimbra University Joanine Library, commissioned in 1717 by King Joao V. We couldn't take photos inside so it's hard to describe how magnificent the carved woodwork, ceiling paintings and shelving is. This is the Library where a colony of bats has lived for 100 years. The bats are let out at night to eat the insects, especially moths, they help to preserve the books. The ground floor was an academic prison. The prison was in use until 1832 for students who committed disciplinary offenses. We then went to the Chemistry Museum, which had a number of interactive displays, much to Jay's delight. The first photo is of a small section of the library taken off a postcard.