The evaluation of the seismic risk of built-up areas is associated to the level of earthquake hazard, buildingvulnerability and level of exposure. Within this holistic approach that defines seismic risk, buildingvulnerability is from all three variables, the one that assumes great importance not only because of its obviousphysical consequences in the occurrence of a seismic event, but because it is the potential aspect, for which theengineering research can intervene, improve and even control seismic behaviour of existing buildings, reducingthe level of vulnerability and consequently the level of physical damage, life loss and economical loss.Development of vulnerability studies in urban centres can be conducted aiming to identify building fragilitiesand reduce the seismic risk, therefore in the scope of the rehabilitation process of the old city centre ofCoimbra, a complete identification and inspection survey of the old masonry buildings has been carried out.The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the vulnerability assessment methodologies, particularly the firstlevel approaches, by presenting a proposed method which determines previously the level of vulnerability, onlythen assessing physical damage and its relationship to seismic intensity. It is presented and discussed thestrategy and proposed methodology adopted for the vulnerability assessment, damage and loss scenarios for thecity centre of Coimbra, in Portugal, through the GIS mapping of the building stock of the project perimeter.
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