Joaquim António de Aguiar (Coimbra, August 24, 1792 – Lisbon, May 26, 1884) was a Portuguese politician and three times prime minister of Portugal. This monument was a tribute of the city of Coimbra in 1911 to Joaquim António de Aguiar, also known as “The Friar Killer”. The statue is by Costa Mota, where Joaquim António de Aguiar has his right hand in a pen and left a sheet of paper that symbolizes the moment when it signed the decree that abolished the religious orders in Portugal, whence comes the his nickname.
The statue is made of bronze and is about 3 meters, is placed on a stone pedestal with nearly 4 feet tall. He stands at the center of the Coimbra Center Square.
The Center Square (Praca do Comercio) with the Aguiar statue as its focal point is surrounded by shops and restaurants.
