51爆料网

The Ashmolean Museum, located on Beaumont Street, is a captivating museum that can be likened to a treasure trove, offering a delightful experience for all.

Established in 1678 with the purpose of housing the cabinet of curiosities donated by Elias Ashmole, this museum holds the distinction of being the world's first university museum. In 1845, it relocated to its current premises, which were designed by Charles Cockerall to accommodate its ever-expanding collection.

Within the museum, you will find an impressive array of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, along with drawings by renowned artists such as da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Additionally, there are several watercolor works by Turner on display.

Many of the archaeological artifacts showcased here come from the personal collections of Elias Ashmole, as well as those of John Tradescant the Elder and the Younger. These individuals were not only collectors but also naturalists, botanists, and travelers.

The exhibitions encompass a diverse range of items, including ancient coins, books, engravings, and geological specimens. Notably, the museum boasts a beautiful assortment of Greek and Minoan pottery, as well as artifacts from Ancient Egypt and Sudan, which were originally part of Arthur Evans' estate. Arthur Evans was the archaeologist renowned for excavating the Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete.

Furthermore, the museum's collection features a captivating mix of curiosities. Among them are Oliver Cromwell's Death Mask, the lantern used by Guy Fawkes in his infamous attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament, the Alfred Jewel, the Abingdon Sword, and Lawrence of Arabia's ceremonial Arab head-dress.

Oxford takes great pride in its rich history and dedicates significant resources to maintaining its ancient structures, as evidenced by the preservation efforts at Oxford Castle. This partially ruined Norman castle stands on the western outskirts of the town, just off New Road. Initially, it consisted of a wooden motte and bailey castle, which was later replaced by stone buildings in the 11th century.

During the conflict between England and Normandy from 1135 to 1153, the castle served as a strategic base for Empress Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I, in her quest to claim the English throne from her cousin, King Stephen. King Stephen besieged the castle with siege engines, but Matilda managed to escape, leading to the surrender of the castle's occupants before a full-scale battle could commence.

In the 13th century, further fortifications were added, including the construction of the Round Tower and the restoration of the chapel. King Henry III utilized the castle as a prison. However, during the English Civil War, the castle suffered significant damage and continued to function as a prison after the war's conclusion.

In 1888, the prison underwent expansion and operated as HM Prison Oxford until its closure in 1996. Today, only the motte and Saint George's Tower remain as remnants of the original castle.

The former prison buildings have been repurposed into a luxury hotel, office spaces, a shopping center, and a heritage complex. The castle's courtyard now hosts an open market and frequently features theater performances.

Additionally, Oxford Castle offers guided tours led by guides dressed in period costumes, providing insights into the castle's history. Visitors can explore Saint George's Tower, visit the crypt, and access the motte with its vaulted Well Chamber as part of the tour experience.

Carfax Tower stands at the junction of four streets 鈥� Cornmarket Street to the north, Saint Aldate鈥檚 to the south, High Street to the east, and Queen Street to the west 鈥� which is probably the exact geographical centre of Oxford.

The tower stands on the north-east corner of the junction and is the only remnant of the 13th century Saint Martin鈥檚 Church. From 1122 to 1896, this had been the City Church of Oxford until it was partially demolished to make way for a new road. Further road widening led to the rest of the church being pulled down in 1900.

The tower stands 23 metres high and no other building in the city is allowed to be higher. It has a ring of six bells that were cast in 1676 by Richard Keene. They still ring out the quarter hour, but the two quarter boys that used to strike them are no longer in use. The bells are rung on special occasions by the Oxford Society of Change Ringers.

Behind the tower you will see a solitary tombstone. It is that of William Butler, who was once the mayor of Oxford. He was buried here in 1865, but when the church was demolished, the tombstone was forgotten and, together with the tower, it is now classed as a Grade II listed building.

Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Christ Church stands as one of the University of Oxford's largest and most affluent colleges. Noteworthy for its distinctive architecture, the college boasts several significant structures, including Tom Tower, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, Tom Quad, Oxford's largest quadrangle, and the Great Dining Hall, which also served as the gathering place for King Charles I's parliament during the English Civil War.

Christ Church boasts an impressive list of alumni, counting thirteen British prime ministers, more than any other Oxbridge college, as well as King Edward VII, King William II of the Netherlands, seventeen Archbishops, and the renowned author Lewis Carroll, known for penning "Alice in Wonderland."

Christ Church houses one of the UK's most significant private collections of drawings, featuring artworks by renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. This collection consists of approximately 300 paintings and 2,000 drawings, and a curated selection of these pieces is accessible to the general public at the specially designed Christ Church Picture Gallery. Most of these artworks were generously donated by a former college member, General John Guise (16823-1765), which paved the way for the establishment of the first-ever public art gallery in Britain.

The college's buildings and grounds have featured prominently in literary works such as Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited" and in a minor capacity in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." More recently, it has served as a backdrop for the film adaptations of J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series and Philip Pullman's novel "Northern Lights" (released in the United States as "The Golden Compass"). These appearances have catapulted Christ Church to its status as the most frequented Oxford college by tourists, attracting nearly half a million visitors each year.

***Harry Potter Walk***
Christ Church Dining Hall
Contrary to belief, no filming actually took place inside the famous Christ Church Dining Hall. Still, it did provide an immense inspiration for Hogwart鈥檚 very own Great Hall. Founded in the time of King Henry VII and being alma mater to thirteen British Prime Ministers, it's no wonder that the filmmakers opted to replicate this historical location at their own Warner Bros. studios. Matchingly magnificent, both the Christ Church Dining Hall and its studio copy are worth visiting, even if only to compare, all the same.

Bodley Tower Staircase
Probably one of the most famous filming spots, the grand stone staircase, located inside Bodley Tower at Christ Church College, is a prominent feature in the first two Harry Potter movies. Among the several memorable scenes filmed here are Harry鈥檚 first day at Hogwarts; a flashback sequence between Tom Riddle and Dumbledore; and a scene near the end of the first film where Harry is reunited with Ron and Hermione after being released from Hogwarts Infirmary 鈥� the one many Potterheads, no doubt, hold dear to their hearts.

Christ Church Cloisters
The Cloisters played a starring role in Harry Potter and the Philosopher鈥檚 Stone, as Hogwarts Hallways.

Another notable scene associated with the hallways is that when Harry has just been made seeker for the Gryffindor quidditch team. In it, Hermione tells him that being a seeker is 鈥渋n his blood,鈥� upon which she goes on to show him a display case containing a quidditch trophy with his father鈥檚 name inscription.

Oxford University had its origins in academic institutions and monastery buildings where theology was the primary subject of study. However, these early establishments did not survive the Reformation period. Trinity College, located on Broad Street, now occupies the site where Durham College Monastery was established back in 1268.

The only remaining part of the original monastery is the east section of Durham Quad, which now houses the college library. In 1555, Sir Thomas Pope purchased the buildings and land with the intent of creating a college. He hoped that future generations would remember him through their prayers since he had no children to carry on his legacy. His final resting place is within the chapel, next to the altar.

The college's West Tower is adorned with four statues representing Astronomy, Geometry, Medicine, and Music. In 1688, a two-story building designed by Sir Christopher Wren was constructed in the Garden Quad to accommodate students. The neoclassical chapel, designed by Henry Aldrich, was added in 1694.

In 1883, the college underwent expansion, with the construction of the Front Quad overseen by Sir Thomas Jackson. In 1928, the Memorial Library was erected to honor the members who had lost their lives during World War I. Further expansion took place in the 1960s when several cottages and 17th-century houses were acquired, and the Cumberbatch Building was built in 1966.

Despite its considerable physical footprint, the college maintains a relatively modest student population of around 400. Initially established as a men's college, it became coeducational in 1979. Trinity College boasts the distinction of having produced three British Prime Ministers: Spencer Compton (1742鈥�1743), William Pitt the Elder (1766鈥�1768), and Frederick North (1770鈥�1782). This places it third in terms of former students who have held the prestigious office, following Christ Church and Balliol College in that regard.

The Museum of the History of Science is located in the Old Ashmolian Building on Broad Street and it is the oldest surviving building in the world constructed for the purpose of being a museum. Admission is free of charge.

It was built in 1683 to house Elias Ashmole鈥檚 formidable collection of over 18000 objects covering every aspect of the history of science. The collection expanded in 1924 when artefacts from the estate of Lewis Evans were added to the museum.

The collections are housed in three different galleries on three floors: the Entrance Gallery on the ground floor is where you will find the reception, the museum shop, four corner exhibitions and temporary exhibitions. The museum鈥檚 reference library has a comprehensive collection of scientific books.

In the Basement Gallery the displays deal with chemistry, natural philosophy and medical equipment. There are optical instruments including cameras, telescopes and microscopes, and early radio equipment by Marconi. You will also find a blackboard that was used by Albert Einstein when he visited the University.

The Top Gallery is full of mathematical instruments: quadrants, sundials and early instruments used for calculating navigation, surveying and astronomy and the most important astrolabe collection in the world with over 170 items.

While Oxford University was initially established by clergy members with a primary focus on theology education, it quickly evolved to serve various purposes beyond academic study. One such multifunctional building is the Sheldonian Theatre.

For numerous centuries, graduation ceremonies were conducted at Saint Mary the Virgin on High Church. These events often transformed into lively celebrations, a stark contrast to the solemn religious setting. This displeased the church's clergy to the extent that in 1660, they sought assistance from Gilbert Sheldon, who served as the University's Chancellor. Sheldon, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury, not only embraced the idea but also personally financed the construction of a dedicated venue for these ceremonies.

The theater's design was entrusted to Sir Christopher Wren, who departed from the prevalent Gothic architectural style. Instead, he drew inspiration from the 1st-century BC Theatre of Marcellus in Rome. However, a challenge arose due to the D-shaped structure being too wide for the roof beams to support. To overcome this issue, Wren employed a geometric grid pattern, originally devised by John Wallis in 1648. This pattern featured a lattice framework of timber trusses and crossbeams, eliminating the need for additional supporting pillars. In 1802, George Saunders oversaw the reconstruction of the roof.

Adorning the ceiling are 32 oil-on-canvas panels, forming a captivating fresco that narrates the story of Truth, Arts, and Sciences triumphing over Ignorance within the University. Today, in addition to graduation ceremonies, the theater serves as a venue for various events such as conferences, lectures, and music recitals.

A remarkable feature of the theater is its octagonal lantern situated at the center of the roof, with windows on all sides. This offers splendid panoramic views of the city and is accessible to the general public.

After you're done exploring the Museum of Natural History, make sure to check out the Pitt-Rivers Museum, accessible through the Natural History Museum itself. This exceptional museum boasts one of the world's finest collections in archaeology and anthropology. It started with a donation of 20,000 items from Lieutenant General Pitt-Rivers, with the condition that the University offer courses in archaeology and anthropology. The museum staff also serve as educators in these disciplines.

The museum's collection has expanded to over 500,000 artifacts, displayed across three levels adorned with wrought iron balconies. These artifacts, primarily gifts from travelers and missionaries, encompass a range of handcrafted items from ancient societies.

One unique aspect of this museum is its organization. Instead of a chronological arrangement, items are displayed by their function, in wooden and glass cases. This approach, conceived by Pitt-Rivers, is particularly effective in illustrating the progression of design and cultural practices.

Visitors can observe a variety of exhibits, such as canoes of varying complexity hanging from the ceiling, agricultural and trepanning tools (the latter underscoring the advancements in modern medicine), along with other medical instruments and objects related to witchcraft, like a preserved slug believed to cure warts.

The museum also features some quirky displays, like an antique Chinese opium pipe juxtaposed with a contemporary 鈥渂ong鈥� crafted from a Coca-Cola bottle, used for smoking marijuana. This latter item was a recent addition, donated by students.

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) is a museum that showcases a wide range of natural history specimens belonging to the University of Oxford. It is situated on Parks Road in Oxford. The museum was established in 1850, although initially, it didn't have its own dedicated building. Instead, the natural history specimens were scattered across various museums throughout the city. The construction of the museum's current building was undertaken in 1860, thanks to the efforts of Sir Henry Acland, who commissioned its creation, and the architects Benjamin Woodward and Thomas Dean.

The architecture of the museum is characterized by a Neo-Gothic style, and it is quite visually appealing. The main hall of the museum features a glass roof supported by cast iron pillars, dividing the space into three distinct aisles. Along the ground and first floors, you can find secluded arcades adorned with stone columns. These columns are intricately decorated with various natural motifs, such as branches and leaves. Within the museum, numerous statues pay homage to prominent scientists, including Aristotle, Darwin, Bacon, and Linnaeus.

The museum's collections encompass a wide variety of natural history disciplines, including zoology, entomology, paleontology, geology, and mineralogy. Visitors can explore a remarkable assortment of specimens, from crabs collected by Charles Darwin to fossils, dinosaurs, and fascinating insects. Notably, the museum's prized possession is the head and claw of the last known Dodo bird.

Shortly after its opening, the museum gained notoriety as the location for the "Great Debate" between the Bishop of Oxford and Thomas Huxley, a botanist and avid supporter of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. This historic debate revolved around the clash between evolutionary science and religious beliefs, making it one of the most renowned debates in history.

Unfortunately, if you are not a student of Hertford College, you won鈥檛 be able to cross the Bridge of Sighs, but you can certainly admire it from street level and add a photo of it to your collection of Oxford鈥檚 marvellous structures.

The real name of the bridge is the Hertford Bridge and it was built in 1914 by Sir Thomas Jackson. It took its popular name from the fact that it is supposed to look just like the bridge of the same name in Venice. Actually, it resembles the Rialto Bridge more than anything else, but the Bridge of Sighs sounds more romantic.

The bridge is a fine example of the Quadrature of the Parabola, developed by Archimedes in the 3rd century BC 鈥� a rather difficult geometrical concept in that the area of a parabolic segment is 4/3 of a certain inscribed triangle. It all comes down to the triangle (top) of the bridge being supported by the arch (parabola) because they are of the same base length and height.

Leaving the Maths lesson behind, the bridge is covered and glass panelled and links the college鈥檚 Old Quad with the New Quad. According to popular legend, the college once closed the bridge to overweight students, forcing them to get some exercise by taking the long route from one building to another.

***Harry Potter Walk***
Conveniently easy to spot behind Oxford鈥檚 very own Bridge of Sighs, the ancient (almost 200-year-old) giant Oak Tree, featured during a duel between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, can be seen in New College Cloisters. And while the cloisters themselves are closed to the public, a photo of the tree can still be snapped from the roadside!

Bodleian Library is the main research library of Oxford University, and if you are not a student, you can visit it on a guided tour which should be booked in advance.

The Bodleian is one of the oldest reference libraries in Europe and one of the six legal deposit libraries in the United Kingdom, which means that a copy of every book published in the UK and Ireland is required by law to be deposited here.

The 1st library was founded by Thomas Cobham, the Bishop of Worcester, in the 14th century. It was a chained library 鈥� the books were chained to the shelves to stop people pinching them. In 1437, after the Duke of Gloucester donated a vast number of manuscripts, the building proved too small, so Duke Humphrey鈥檚 Library was built at Divinity School.

Over the years, the library fell into disuse until 1598 when a Fellow of Merton College, Thomas Bodley, had the place renovated and enlarged to receive his collection of books. It reopened in 1602 and took its present-day name. It was also Bodley who made an agreement with the Stationer鈥檚 Company in 1610 to put a copy of each of their books in the library. This agreement became the Deposit Law in the 19th century.

The library expanded in 1612 and 1637 and grew popular with Fellows to donate or bequeath their collections. The New Library was built in 1937 and today a tunnel under Broad Street connects the Old and the New Bodleian.

The library holds a staggering 11 million books and other reading matter, 117 miles of shelves and 400 staff members. Among the ancient manuscripts here is a copy of the Magna Charta and the Song of Roland. It also houses one of the last copies of the Guttenberg Bible.

***Harry Potter Tour***
Hidden away in the Bodleian Library, the Duke Humfrey鈥檚 reading room revels in a magical atmosphere. Boasting imposing high walls and an intricately painted ceiling, even the smallest of Harry Potter fans will fail to ignore this eye-catching beauty. Presented as the main Hogwarts Library in the film series, it is most memorable for the scene in The Philosopher鈥檚 Stone, when Harry uses his Cloak of Invisibility to sneak into the restricted section of the library. We see Harry creeping around here before he is given away by a screaming book.

The Radcliffe Camera, despite its name, isn't a camera in the technical sense; rather, it is the first circular library ever constructed in the United Kingdom. In this context, "camera" is synonymous with "chamber."

John Radcliffe, a royal physician, expressed his desire to build a library at the University to house his collection of scientific materials. This led to a debate among several colleges over which of them should have the honor of hosting the library. Ultimately, none of the colleges were chosen.

To make room for the library, several terraced houses on Cattle Street, the Black Hall, and some outbuildings from Brasenose College were demolished. Constructed in 1749 by James Gibbes in the English Palladian architectural style, the exterior of the Radcliffe Camera appears to have three stories. The ground floor is rusticated, while the first floor is divided into sections by ten pairs of Corinthian columns. Above this section is a lantern and a dome covered in lead.

Inside the building, the first floor serves as an open gallery that runs along the walls. There is a 2-meter-high statue of John Radcliffe, sculpted by John Rysbrack. In 1912, an underground archives room was established, connected to the Bodleian Library through a passage.

The Radcliffe Camera houses an impressive collection of over 600,000 books and now functions as a reading room affiliated with the Bodleian Library. Unfortunately, it is not accessible to the general public.

The University Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is the largest parish church in Oxford. It stands on High Street and is surrounded by colleges, which is why it is so popular with the students and professors.

The first church on this site was built in 1086 and when the university was founded in the 13th century, it was considered to be its first building. In 1320, a two-storey edifice was constructed on the north side of the chancel; the ground floor was the university鈥檚 Convocation House and today it houses Vault Caf茅. The upper floor became the university鈥檚 first library, with books donated by Thomas Cobham.

The church鈥檚 Baroque porch was designed by Nicholas Stone. Its 13th century tower affords excellent views, and is open to the public. The steeple is reputed to be the most beautiful in England.

In 1555, the Oxford Martyrs were tried and condemned inside this church. You will notice that a section of the pillar opposite the pulpit is missing. This was cut out to support a small platform where the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, stood while withdrawing his recantation of his Protestant faith, before being taken out and burnt at the stake.

At the end of the 15th and the early 16th centuries, most of the church was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style, only the tower and the spire remained untouched. Out of the 12 statues, 11 were replaced in 1894 by George Frampton.

Into the 17th century, the church was used for graduation ceremonies, until the church officials got fed up with the very un-Christian parties held afterwards, and therefore they had the Sheldonian Theatre built to host the ceremonies instead.

Magdalen College, one of Oxford University's prestigious institutions, is widely regarded as the most beautiful among its colleges. Established in 1458 by William of Waynflete, the Bishop of Winchester, it occupies a picturesque location next to the River Cherwell and the Oxford Botanic Garden. The college boasts a charming campus with the Meadow, Fellows Garden, and the Grove, where you can see deer in winter and spring. Addison's Walk links the Meadow to Fellows Garden, and a bridge connects it to the main campus.

Magdalen College's history is rooted in the dissolution of Saint John the Baptist Hospital in 1457, whose buildings were repurposed for the college. The Old Kitchen Bar, now serving as the college bar, was once the hospital's kitchen. Construction work commenced in 1470 under the guidance of mason William Orchard. He oversaw the creation of various structures, including the Chapel, the Hall, and the Cloister, which includes the Muniment and Founder's Towers.

A prominent feature of Magdalen College is the Magdalen Tower, a well-known landmark. Since the reign of King Henry VII, the college choir has performed at the top of the tower every May Day at 6 am. The Great Quad, constructed in 1474, showcases architectural grandeur, although the north side was reconstructed in 1822. The New Building, dating back to 1733, adds to the college's architectural diversity. In 1990, the Grove Buildings were erected as the most recent addition to the college's facilities.

Today, Magdalen College stands as one of Oxford's wealthiest and academically renowned colleges. It boasts a legacy of educating members of various royal families, including King Edward VIII of England in 1912鈥�1914, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan in 2000, and Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the heir to the throne of Brunei, in 1995. Notable recent alumni include Malcolm Fraser, the former Prime Minister of Australia, and John Turner, the former Prime Minister of Canada.

In the world of literature and academia, Oscar Wilde studied "Greats" at Magdalen College from 1874 to 1878, earning a double first-class degree. C. S. Lewis, a celebrated writer and University College alumnus, was a Fellow and English tutor at Magdalen from 1925 to 1954. Lewis was a member of the Inklings, a literary group that included J. R. R. Tolkien, and they held their meetings in Lewis' Magdalen College rooms.