The University Tower

The University Tower is the emblem of the institution and an iconic image of the city. Has it always been like this?

Its history begins when the colleges were installed in the Royal Palace in 1544. It was decided to add a bell tower to regulate the academic hours and to signal the university ceremonies. Even today, the bells summon the academic community to solemn acts. In student slang, the bell became known as Cabra (goat) as it called students to class on a daily basis.

In the 18th century, keeping the original base, a new tower was built to adapt it to the models of the time. In its renovation, the bells and clocks were placed on all sides. The top of the tower ends with a barred terrace designed to house the first version of the astronomical observatory and its mathematical instruments. Thus, functionality and science were united, transforming the reign of King John V into a veritable experimental laboratory of the European Enlightenment.