Culture & History - Discovering Spain Historic Universities in Spain Friday, 4 December, 2015 Paradores Parador de Alcalá de Henares Parador de Carmona Parador de El Saler Parador de Granada Parador de Lorca Parador de Salamanca Parador de Santiago de Compostela Did you know that Spain is one of the countries with more historic Universities? Some of the most impressive and old Universities have been built in Spain. Education has always been an important issue for society and so it was in Spain. Let’s learn a bit more about which are the historic Universities of Spain near our Paradores. University of Salamanca This is the oldest University in Spain that is still actively working and it is also the 5th oldest University in Europe! Its construction is dated back in the year 1218, and it was one of the medieval Universities with a higher work rate. Its academic model was even introduced in almost every other University in Spain in the XIX century. The city of Salamanca has been from that time on considered one of the symbolic university cities of Spain. This University is also famous for one of the beautiful façades in which there is a hidden frog on top of a skull. Everyone stares there trying to find it! Walk around this great city of Salamanca and stay at our Parador de Salamanca, to discover the magnificence of its University. Book now at Parador de Salamanca University of Alcalá de Henares This University was stablished in the city of Alcalá de Henares and it was opened in the year 1499. It got to be one of the most important education centres of Spain during the XV and XVII centuries. Some of its buildings where taken to the centre of Madrid in 1975 on what we know now as the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. After some years, in 1981 it was again recognised as the University of Alcalá de Henares. The whole complex of the University of Alcalá was named World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1998. Don’t you want to visit it while staying at our Parador de Alcalá? Book now at Parador de Alcalá de Henares University of Sigüenza This little University was also known as the University of San Antonio de Porta Coeli. It was an architectonic complex built in the XVII century that hosted an academic service for the city of Sigüenza during the years 1489 and 1824, when it finally ended with the activity. Nowadays it is an Episcopal Palace full of charm so worthy to visit. It is located just some metres away from our sumptuous Parador de Sigüenza, being both of them some of the most emblematic sites of the city. Book now at Parador de Sigüenza University of Murcia The University of Murcia was founded in the year 1272 by order of Alfonso X The Wise. It got such a good reputation. However, due to some external factors including the low number of students in the region, it started to lose activity and so it stopped with it. Some years later, in 1840 it started again with the academic work and finally in the year 1915 it was re-founded as what it is nowadays. Today, it is considered an important national and international university where more than 30.000 students attend. You can make it from our Parador de Lorca to this historic University which is located just 65 kilometres away. Book now at Parador de Lorca University of Santiago More than 500 years ago this University was built. It is actually one of the oldest Universities of the whole world, built in the year 1495. It is still active nowadays and from the very beginning of its activity it had important cultural, economic and academic incentives. It was also one of the most important Universities during the Illustration times. In the present, it offers a wide variety of University Degrees and it is one of the most demanded ones. It is located just 300 metres away from our outstanding and well known Parador de Santiago de Compostela. Book now at Parador de Santiago de Compostela University of Valencia In the year 1499 the University of Valencia started its activity under the name of Estudi General. From that time one, it never stopped it. It was and still now it is, one of the most important Universities of Spain as it is dedicated to education and investigation in so many knowledge areas. Little by little, this University got to be the big institution it is nowadays thanks to the boost that came after Valencia’s economic and cultural growth in the XV century. Located 20 kilometres away from this ancient University, our Parador de El Saler awaits you to host you and let you visit the beautiful city of Valencia and the Mediterranean coast. Book now at Parador de El Saler University of Sevilla This historic University is dated back in the XVI century. It is located in an Old Tobacco Factory in the city of Seville and it is one of the nowadays public Universities of Seville, being the first University in number of students in Andalusia. It was an old School that in the year 1505 got the permission to start with the teaching of Degrees such as Philosophy, Law or Medicine. The cloister of the main building of the University of Seville is one of the most representative spots of the complex. If you want to enjoy the splendour of Seville and its University, you can stay just 40 kilometres away at our Parador de Carmona, one of the most beautiful and authentic hotels of Spain. Book now at Parador de Carmona University of Granada The University of Granada has its campus distributed in the cities of Granada, Ceuta and Melilla. The actual University is the heritage of what it was the University of the Nazarí Kingdom (Madraza of Granada) founded in the year 1349 and later on inherited in Charles I of Spain kingdom in the year 1531. This is why it is also considered one of the most important historic Universities of Spain. The building is an authentic Palace that used to host some of the best academics and it is located at an idyllic spot of the city of Granada, the Oficios Street. Today, it has an important international reputation in Engineering and Mathematics studies. The magical city of Granada needs to be visited because of our Parador de Granada settled in the Alhambra complex, the Alhambra and also because of this Madraza Palace hosting the University of Granada. Book now at Parador de Granada Feel the culture and history of Spanish Historical Universities with Paradores and do not miss the chance of visiting some of the most emblematic academic buildings of the whole world!.