Established in 1386 by Count Palatinate Ruprecht I, Germany’s oldest and most prestigious university comprises 12 faculties with 30,000 German and international students, and has an esteemed alumni that includes a roll-call of Nobel Laureates.
The most historic facilities are around Universitätsplatz, dominated by the Alte Universität (1712–28; on the south side) and the Neue Universität (1931; on the north side), the ‘old’ and ‘new’ university buildings respectively. Nearby stands the Löwenbrunnen (Lions Fountain).
