On this day in 1386 the Universität Heidelberg holds its first lecture, making it the oldest German university.

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  1. Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

    Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany’s oldest university and one of the world’s oldest surviving universities. It was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire.

  2. For reference, the ‘Nourishing Mother of the Studies’ according to its Latin motto, the University of Bologna was founded in 1088 and, having never been out of operation, holds the title of the oldest university in the world.

  3. Congratulations. Greetings from the University of Bologna, funded in 1088. Some of his students litterally went to fight in the Crusade.

  4. Presumably, it was also the first recorded instance of a student asking if he could copy another student’s notes later because he wasn’t able to attend due to the plague.

  5. Not if you count the Charles University in Prague (1346) wich was founded by Charles IV who was Holy Roman Emperor, King of the Romans(German monarch in medieval times) as well as King if Bohemia.

  6. Hey I studied abroad in Heidelberg at the Sprachschule. Wish I still used my German as much as I did in undergrad

  7. I was born in Heidelberg. And i am still studying medicine in the old university. Its a rly nice town. You should visit it some time. Greetings from Heidelberg to all of you 🙂

  8. Oldest in continuous operation. The University of Cologne was founded much earlier but it was suppressed under Napoleon and reopened a century later.

  9. Pretty sure this is actually Irithyll of the Boreal Valley before the world turned to pot.

  10. u/Vucea

    This Post is incorrect

    The originally oldest german speaking university is the Karls-Universität in Prague (which doesn’t teach in german anymore) founded in 1348

    2nd place is the University of Vienna (which still teaches in german) founded in 1363

    3rd Place is the mentioned Heidelberg ( it says so on there Website as well)

    Please fact-check posts…

  11. Depends on how you define German university – Charles´ university from Czech republic (Holy Roman Empire kingdom back then) is older.

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