You must have heard of Oxford in one form or another. If you have an academic background and are studying and trying to enhance your English language literacy, Oxford will be repeated to you in many places and stations. Oxford is the name of one of the most prestigious universities in the world. This name is very resonant in the world of university towers, and it has the same importance and distinction as Sorbonne University in France or Harvard in the United States of America.
But Oxford is not only a university; it is also an ancient city in Britain, home to the university named after it. Just as the university carries a lot of tradition and distinction, the town has this character and reputation. Although a small city, Oxford is fraught with heritage buildings and beautiful English architecture. You’ll be amazed at how much this city has so many sights and sites. Oxford has many museums, libraries, parks, cultural monuments, and educational institutions.
We will introduce you to various Oxford attractions, starting with its vast and magnificent university. Before proceeding, we will list the features that will be covered as follows:
- University of Oxford
- Covered Market
- Bodleian Library
- Oxford Botanical Garden
- Oxford University Museum
1- The University of Oxford
Oxford University is about 90 kilometers northwest of London. Between it and the British capital, there are many transportation lines, the most important of which is the railway, which provides daily student transportation.
The University of Oxford is the oldest in the English-speaking West. Its creation dates back to at least the eleventh century. It is one of the universities that occupies the first place in the ranking of the best universities worldwide.
The University of Oxford has 102 libraries. Among them is the Bodleian Library, which holds more than 11 million volumes.
This university complex also contains many galleries, theaters, and eight museums. It also includes 44 university colleges distributed in the following departments:
Department of Humanities, Department of Mathematics, Department of Physics, and Department of Natural Sciences. You will find wonderful green spaces full of trees and plants among these towers, colleges, and buildings.
The Oxford University Complex is indeed a scientific and academic tower. Still, its heritage, richness, diversity of skyscrapers, and contents make it one of the most beautiful tourist destinations that will fill your day without the possibility of completing everything in it in a short period.
2- The Covered Market
This market is considered one of the oldest and dates back to the eighteenth century AD. It was built and organized in this way to address the chaos in the market that preceded it. Therefore, one of the engineers designed a call as a covered building that beautifully contained many different shops. There you can find gifts, flowers, fashion, jewelry, vegetable, fruit, and meat shops, bakeries, cafes, restaurants, and more.
In this market, you will find shops for the most skilled artisans if you want goods made with perfection and beauty.
One of the things that distinguishes the market is its spontaneity, in addition to the cleanliness and organization characteristic of the markets there. The market is close to some tourist attractions, and some hotels are located nearby.
3- Bodleian Library
You are in the city of Oxford, that is, in the famous university city in it, and this means that the city’s character has a scientific and academic flavor without losing the tourist and aesthetic footprint. This means that it contains a collection of essential libraries. One such library is the Bodleian Library, which is one of the oldest libraries not only in Britain but in Europe. The Bodleian Library is one of the leading libraries students and researchers refer to in their scientific research.
It should be noted that this library was used to shoot some scenes of the Harry Potter film because of its architectural beauty and engineering heritage that dates back centuries during the Middle Ages.
So, by visiting the Bodleian Library, you will visit history, celebrate science and knowledge, witness architectural and engineering beauty, and satisfy your desire to see the corners used for the famous Harry Potter movie.
4- Oxford Botanic Garden
With the Oxford Botanical Garden, you are also on a date with an old garden. This park was founded in the seventeenth century. It is a popular destination for visitors and those seeking relaxation and tranquility to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Oxford Botanic Garden has green spaces of constantly pruned herbs. One of its advantages is the presence of greenhouses filled with the most beautiful plants and flowers worldwide.
The garden combines three dimensions: the historical dimension because of its age, the excellent aesthetic size, and the scientific extent, as it is one of the towers belonging to the Oxford University Complex, has a link to the British Institute of Botany, and includes more than 8,000 plant species.
This park is a destination for thousands of visitors and tourists and a place that children can benefit from, as they are encouraged to plant and taught how to farm properly and preserve plant wealth.
You can have walks in this park, especially if you want to walk around. Paths are designed to put you amidst colorful flower spaces and perennial trees.
5- Oxford University Museum
The Oxford University Museum is not far from Oxford’s city center. It is a complex of many historical monuments, natural science holdings, and samples of very ancient animal geology. For example, you’ll find fascinating displays of dinosaurs and their skeletons that introduce you to the history of this species that went extinct millions of years ago.
The museum, renowned for its ancient Gothic architecture, also displays objects explaining Oxford’s history. It is suitable for children as it provides educational activities for them. This is why this landmark is considered recreational and educational, making it one of the best family destinations.