Colegio de Málaga, Historic educational building in Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
The Colegio de Málaga is a 17th-century building with two prominent towers, multiple courtyards, and a Baroque fountain designed by Miguel de Arteaga in 1769. The complex displays the typical layout of a scholarly residential college with its living and teaching spaces arranged around these central areas.
The college was founded in 1611 by Bishop Juan Alonso de Moscoso, with construction starting in 1623 and continuing through the century. In 1781 three smaller colleges from Lugo, León, and Aragón merged with the institution, leading to new governing rules.
Students here wore a distinctive black biretta, brick-colored mantle, and purple cape that marked their academic rank. This dress code made members of the college recognizable throughout the city.
The building now houses the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Alcalá de Henares and is accessible during lecture periods. The quieter times are best for exploring the courtyards and noticing the architectural details without distraction.
The merger of several colleges in 1781 led to renaming it Colegio Teólogo de Málaga and marked a new phase in its history. This consolidation made it one of the major theological training centers in Castile during the following century.
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