What to do in Oxford – Part I

For that we are located, Oxford is located about 90 miles northwest of London in the county of Oxfordshire. Both cities are connected by the M40 even if ours is to go backpacking or do not want to drive on the left is a rail link from Paddington Station (assuming you come from London). For those seeking something more than London’s Oxford is an ideal situation because from there we have half of England to hand.

Photography by tejvanphotos

Oxford is the quintessential college town home to the oldest university in the Anglo-Saxon world. In the English system the university is a federation of autonomous schools (colleges). These «colleges» are much more than dormitories. Provide shelter, food, library and everything necessary for its «inhabitants» to graduate successfully. On the other side on the University campus classes are taught, are the exams and certificates are awarded. Oxford currently has 39 colleges and part of the attraction of the city is to visit at least the oldest.

Shield of the University of Oxford The origin of the colleges today are the first residence halls of the twelfth century were eventually equipping more and more services as the student community in Oxford grew. The final push was provided by Henry II of England with a 1167 ban by the British were not allowed to pursue their studies at the University of Paris. In this early period are the University College (1249), Balliol (1263) and Merton (1264).

Photography by pythonboot

Walking around Oxford is impossible to abstract the academic environment. Wherever you look there are students, colleges, libraries and museums. The architecture respects the past streets so that no construction is not misplaced. We begin our tour at the junction of St Aldate’s Street, Cornmarket Street, High Street and Queen Street. We are in downtown, at the foot of the Carfax Tower, whose name derives from Carrefour, the French word for crossroads. Very appropriate in this case. This tower is what remains of the ancient Church of San Martín (1818) who in 1896 was not met by an urban management plan which aimed to widen the street to improve traffic. That was how it was partially demolished.

Carfax Tower with the tower behind us, turn right onto St. Aldate’s to get to Christ Church College, the largest hall of Oxford and the only one that contains a cathedral inside. Among its most famous members was Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland. Needless to say college is the most visited city.

Photography by stevecadman

Christ Church College from the War Memorial Garden residence is established in a former monastery whose origins date back to the ninth century. Christ Church College was founded by Cardinal Wolsey as a residence in 1524. Years later, in 1529, Wolsey was removed from office and King Henry VII took over the institution. He refounded it in 1546 and designated the monastery church as the cathedral of the new diocese of Oxford.

Christ Church College After paying the entrance and cross the threshold we cross a courtyard to reach faculty where the public baths. We went to the left and see a staircase leading to the dining room at the time of our visit was full of students filling the belly. We left right and we find an esplanade called Tom Quadrangle, an immense cloister named after the 7-ton bell that is in the Tom Tower every day at nine five rings 101 times. This ritual is that the original residence was 101 students who were required to return before nine. The five minute margin was not due to the generosity of mentors but the time zone of Oxford is about five minutes behind Greenwich Mean Time. Tom Quadrangle Entrance to the Cathedral is located on the east side of Tom Quadrangle. Inside we see a number of historical stained glass windows, a carved wooden shrine and the impressive dome of the choir of the year 1500.

Christ Church Cathedral will continue our path to reach another courtyard called Quad Peckwater named after a medieval inn run by the family Peckwater. Here is the library and the Picture Gallery which presents an extensive collection of ancient paintings and drawings.

Quad Peckwater We leave it to the end the most famous room. Do not go to lunch as we find it here because you closed. This is the Dining Hall (1529), the dining room where students feed. Many recognize him as Hogwart’s, Harry Potter’s house. Yes, here filmed the saga of the famous magician.

Continued….