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Photo: Ed Webster, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, Magdalen (pronounced Mawdlin) is frequently the first college seen by many visitors if coming into Oxford on the London Road, its high tower serving as a much-loved landmark. A must-see is the glorious deer park and the Gothic chapel. Significant Magdalen alumni include C.S. Lewis, Oscar Wilde, Seamus Heaney and Edward Gibbon. Visitor gift shop and afternoon café. Maximum 20 people in a group.
Magdalen College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and one of the strongest academically, setting the record for the highest Norrington Score in 2010 and topping the table twice since then. It is home to several of the university's distinguished chairs, including the Agnelli-Serena Professorship, the Sherardian Professorship, and the four Waynflete Professorships.
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The oldest botanic garden in Great Britain and one of the oldest scientific gardens in the world.
Houses an internationally renowned collection of Old Master paintings and drawings – some 300 paintings and almost 2000 drawings. The paintings include works by Carracci, Tintoretto, Filippino Lippi, Van Dyck and Frans Hals. Christ Church’s collection of Old Masters drawings is one of the most important in the country and includes work by major artists such as Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Durer and Rubens. For reasons of space and conservation, it is not possible to show the entire collection but a selection of drawings is always on view.
Built 1737–49, this is a library and reading room for Oxford students and so is not generally accessible. The grand exterior, however, is well worth viewing.
Bridge of Sighs
A quaint pedestrian bridge for the students of Hertford College which has popularly become known as the "Bridge of Sighs" of Oxford.
This unusual building was Sir Christopher Wren's first major architectural commission. At the time he was a professor of Astronomy at the university. There is a series of busts outside the theatre facing Broad St with strange expressions and facial hair.