Oxford

 

 My weekend involved a visit to Oxford to survey buildings. It's one handsome city and walking around the centre I admire that anywhere you look is historical. It's almost as if you can see how people in that era used to live. It can be a little creepy in the evening and I won't even be surprised if the city is haunted. haha. Other than that, the architecture is just marvellous. 

The  second photo above is the Radcliffe Library which is originally known as the Radcliffe Camera originated with a bequest of £40,000 by Dr. John Radcliffe, for the building of a new library situated close to the Bodleian. Unfortunately, I couldn't come in to the library as only members are allowed to go in to use the library. 

This is the entrance for the Bodleian Library and to Divinity School within the Bodleian Quadrangle. Oxford University was not a wealthy institution and did not have the resources to build up a collection of new printed books to replace the ones that was dispersed, Sir Thomas Bodley rescued the Library and it was opened in 1602. After Bodley died in 1613, they started working on building the spacious quadrangle of buildings to the east of the Library. The buildings were designed to house lecture and examination rooms.

The Sheldonian Theatre designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1664-1668. Its purpose was to provide an appropriate venue for meetings and public ceremonies of the University, and this remains its purpose today. It is also available to hire for recitals of music and other similar functions.

The Exeter College, this really reminded me of being in Hogwarts in a way. It's a huge site for students including the halls where they live, lecture rooms, a chapel and a dining hall where they all eat their dinner/lunch together surrounded with oil paintings of head teacher of the college. I actually wish I went to college here. Ha, as if I'm smart enough!

What I have noticed is that they like to preserve old things, which makes the city really unique. 

For example the Oxford Castle, the Malmaison hotel which used to be a prison. Going in you can imagine how prisoners used to live in their cell. It totally reminded me of the film Shawshank Redemption, it's incredible what they have done to this place. It's a little bit creepy, it's dark and the doors creeked. However, I admire the transformation, putting something modern into something old. 

It was a good trip. :)