A city of narrow streets, courtyards, stairs and medieval arches, Coimbra was the birthplace of six kings from Portugal and the First Dynasty, as well as the first University of the Country and one of the oldest in Europe. In the 12th century, Coimbra already had an urban structure, divided between the upper city, called Alta or Almedina, where aristocrats, clerics and, later, students lived, and Baixa, of commerce, artisans and neighborhoods riverside. Since the middle of the 16th century, the city's history has revolved around the history of the University of Coimbra, and it was only in the 19th century that the city began to expand beyond its walled hull, which even disappeared with the reforms carried out by the Marquis of Pombal at the end of the 18th century. These reforms will have a major impact, especially in the upper part of the city, where structures such as the Botanical Garden and some colleges of the University are created.