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CRUISING TO ENGLAND:
CAMBRIDGE INTRODUCTION |
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The University of Cambridge is one of the world's top academic institutions. Over the centuries, names such as Sir Issac Newton, Charles Darwin, Erasmus, Christopher Marlowe, Samuel Pepys, Jane Goodall, Oliver Cromwell, John Maynard Keynes, Lord Mountbatten, Prince Charles, Dr. Stephen Hawking and numerous others who have made a mark on the world have all been associated with Cambridge. The electron was discovered here, the atom was split for the first time here, and the structure of DNA was revealed here. Numerous Nobel prizes have been awarded to Cambridge scientists covering fields such as astronomy, biochemistry, chemistry, economics, molecular biology, medicine and physics. In the arts, Cambridge has nurtured poets including Lord Byron, Alfred Lord Tennyson, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Rupert Brooke, and many well-known actors such as John Cleese, Stephen Fry, Derek Jacobi, Hugh Laurie, Ian McKellen, Trevor Nunn, Michael Redgrave, Emma Thompson have studied here In addition to several British prime ministers, Cambridge has educated a number of leaders who played significant roles in the development of other countries including Charles Stewart Parnell (Ireland), Jan Smuts (South Africa), and Jawaharlal Nehru (India),
Corpus Christi College
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St. John's College
Cambridge is also a major tourist destination. Not only is it historic but it is full of architecturally interesting buildings and beautiful landscapes. There are also fun things to do such as punting on the river Cam.
Cambridge can be confusing for visitors. It is not a single campus but rather a collection of physically-separated colleges make it difficult to simply stroll through the university. Furthermore, while attempts are made to accommodate visitors, its purpose is not tourism but rather to be a working center of study and research. In this article, we try and take some of the mystery out of visiting Cambridge. We try to explain how the University came about and how it works today. We also discuss some of the places that should be seen on a visit to Cambridge. Each of the colleges has its own story and treasures. However, it is not practical to cover all 31 in any depth so we present three not-to-be-missed colleges as illustrative. In addition, we have a page on punting on the Cam - - a truly delightful experience. |
Cruise destination guide - England - Cambridge - Introduction