Radcliffe Square, Historic square in central Oxford, United Kingdom
Radcliffe Square is a plaza in central Oxford with cobbled pathways and a central grassy area surrounded by railings. The circular Radcliffe Camera, an 18th-century library building, anchors the space and is surrounded by college buildings and the University Church.
The square developed as a university center in the 17th century, and the Radcliffe Camera was constructed from 1737 to 1748. Funding came from John Radcliffe, a royal physician and former student who left his fortune for the building.
The square serves as a meeting point where students and visitors pause between the surrounding colleges to take in the architecture. The mix of building styles around it shows how the university has grown and changed over centuries.
The square is freely accessible and best explored on foot, with clear pathways between buildings. It is a quiet place to study the architecture, especially in early morning or late afternoon when fewer visitors are around.
The Radcliffe Camera is one of Europe's few circular library buildings and stands out immediately for its unusual shape. The tunnel beneath the square connecting it to the Bodleian Library is part of an extensive underground network storing hundreds of thousands of books.
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