Its crown is wider than the tree is tall: 34.5 metres across against 28 metres of height. The camphor tree on the agricultural college's campus at Bencanta has had a century and a half to spread and nothing in its way. Cinnamomum camphora comes from East Asia. This one went in in 1860, according to the school, which makes it about 165 years old, and Portugal classified it as a tree of public interest back in July 1969. The trunk has not stopped since: the national register measured 8.5 metres round in 2015 and the school reported more than 9 metres in December 2025. That December was a busy month for it. The tree was named one of ten finalists in the public vote for Portugal's Tree of the Year 2026, and in the same announcement the school pointed out that the route planned for a future high-speed railway passes close enough to put it at risk. It has stood through 165 years of whatever the campus did around it, and the thing that could finally move it is a line that does not exist yet. One practical note, because the walk out here is 3.7 kilometres. The tree stands on the grounds of a public college and is visible from the campus paths, but the school handles visits through its external relations office rather than leaving the gates open by default. Ask first.
The line is our estimate of how much there is to see, not a measurement. Typical for this species where this tree stands; exact weeks shift with the year.
ESAC - Escola Superior Agraria de Coimbra campus, Bencanta, Sao Martinho do Bispo, Coimbra (behind the Bencanta railway station)You can recognise it by its enormous crown, wider than the tree is tall (34.5m across, 28m high), on a trunk over 8.5m round. It stands on the ESAC agricultural college campus at Bencanta, behind the railway station.
On the campus of ESAC, a public agricultural college in Bencanta; visible from campus paths. General public walk-in access was not independently confirmed this pass; the school directs formal visit requests through its external relations office (gac@esac.pt), so it is worth confirming before a special trip.
Near the Bencanta railway station (Linha do Norte, Coimbra suburban services), about 3.7 km from central Coimbra.
Sources
Where the facts on this page come from.
- In the official register: Arvoredo de Interesse Público (ICNF), no. KNJ1/170
- ICNF Arvoredo de Interesse Publico register, processo KNJ1/170, classified D.G. n.o 173, II Serie de 25/07/1969
- esac.pt
- ICNF, Arvoredo de Interesse Publico (Portugal's national register of trees of public interest), no. KNJ1/170