Oxford is the main city in the county of Oxfordshire, located in south central England. It lays on the two distributaries of River Thames - River Cherwell and The Isis. Oxford is famous for its long history and remarkable architectural and cultural heritage. The city is the home of the University of Oxford – one of the oldest and most renowned universities in the world. Oxford is also known as an industrial center for the manufacturing of vehicles and steel products and its well-developed printing industry.

The settlement that existed where modern Oxford is now standing was founded around 3rd century BC by the Celts. It transformed into a commercial town of the Anglo-Saxons around 6th century and was later attacked and taken by the Danes in 10-11th century. The Augustinian Order laid the foundations of the university life in Oxford in 12th century. The first college was opened in 13th century. The ever growing number of students coming to receive quality education here over the centuries made Oxford one of the most prominent academic hub in the world. Oxford was even named capital of England during the reign of Charles I. It was capital over the period 1642-1645 during the English Civil War.

Oxford’s history is marked by many and different events over the centuries, some of them so colorful that myths and facts often go hand in hand. One of the legends says that a Saxon princess and abbess called Frithuswith founded a monastery in 7th century where the Christ Church in Oxford now stands. An insistent king however was pursing the princess to become his mistress so she ran and hid into the Pinsley Wood. Not long after the king went blind and finally left the young woman at peace. Later on a small community settled near the monastery along the waters of The Thames. They were raising cattle and their herds were called ‘oxen ford’ which is where the name of Oxford is believed to derive from.

The beating heart of Oxford is Carfax which is the junction between four main streets and where the medieval center of the city was.

There are many fascinating historical buildings in the city such as the church of St Michael at the North Gate erected in 11th century and the University Church of St Mary the Virgin dated from 13th century. Next in the long list of valuable architectural landmarks is the Bodleian Library named after Sir Thomas Bodley – a reputable English diplomat who founded the library in 1603. The Sheldonian Theatre is another remarkable building designed by the highly acclaimed architect Christopher Wren.

Certainly most of the glory of Oxford is due to the Oxford University which is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. The university was built way back in 1167 and passionately keeps its academic spirit and traditions. The Christ Church College was built in 1525. It is the biggest constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was also the place where the English mathematician and college teacher Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, widely known as the children’s fiction writer Lewis Carroll, was inspired by the dean’s youngest daughter and created the fun stories about the adventures of ‘Alice in Wonderland’. 

Oxford is also called 'the city of dreaming spires' because of the many church and college towers on the University’s grounds.

Bodleian Library is among the largest libraries in the world owning a copy of every single book ever printed in England. The library is fully operational and serves as the main library of the Oxford University.

Another signature building is the tall Carfax Tower which was part of the 14th century City Church of St. Martin. It has a huge clock with beautiful Roman ornaments.

The University Park is a great place for a relaxing walk in its charming alleys along the river bank. Oxford is a main cultural center too offering the possibility to visit numerous galleries, workshops, classic music halls and museums like the Pitt Rivers Museum and Ashmolean Museum.

In short Oxford is an old university town, yet carrying young college spirit and unique atmosphere. The city landscape is further enriched by many coffee houses, elegant shops, modern cinemas, theaters, interesting museums, pubs and night clubs.

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