Founded by Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros in the early 16th century, Alcalá de Henares was the world’s first planned university city. It was the original model for the Civitas Dei (City of God), the ideal urban community which Spanish missionaries brought to the Americas. It also served as a model for universities in Europe and elsewhere.
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University of Alcalá de Henares
| Title | University of Alcalá de Henares |
| Artist(s) | Architects of the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso: Pedro de Gumiel (main structure) and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón (façade) |
| Dates | 1499–1520, with later additions |
| Places | Europe / Southern Europe / Spain |
| Period, Culture, Style | Renaissance / Spanish and Portuguese Renaissance |
| Artwork Type | Architecture |
| Material | Stone |
| Technique |
Cite this page as: UNESCO, "University of Alcalá de Henares," in Smarthistory, May 27, 2021, accessed May 23, 2025, https://smarthistory.org/university-of-alcala-de-henares/.
