C O I M B R A a n d T R A D I T I O N S

Coimbra is a city in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the

High Middle Ages, it is better known for its university, the University of Coimbra,

which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the

Portuguese speaking world.

The tradition of burning the tapes date back to the 50s of the XIX century.

Groups of college students gathered near the Iron Gate and made a procession

and then the tapes were burned .The first parties linked to the Burning of the

Ribbons are in 1901. In late May, students organized a procession of 20 decorated

cars. It took about an hour and a half to go the route from the Largo of the

University to Downtown. Freshmen followed by ribbons and tied with several

cans tied with wires where doctors beat with canes.

Also known as Serenata Monumental, the Serenade is the event that marks the

beginning of the Burning of the Ribbons. It is one of its highlightsts in which

students and former college students, sing Fado/fates. It always takes place in the

city center near Sé Velha at 24h00m. The Serenade has a special meaning for

students, because it symbolizes the end of the academic, university entry or ending

of another year student. Thousands of students go to the Serenata, dominating

silence in the audience during the singing of fado.

FADO

It is performed with the traditional Guitarra de Coimbra created by Artur Paredes,

and usually accompanied by a classic acoustic guitar and male voices..

The University of Coimbra has an important a Fado section, teaching the genre

to musically inclined students and promoting musical projects and events related to it.

It is the music of the University students, also known as Student Fado.