Description of the attraction
Collegium Mayus is the oldest building of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow.
The university was founded in 1364, and 36 years later, King Vladislav II Jagiello granted the university its own building. Previously, the property belonged to the king's wife - Queen Jadwiga. The university administration did not begin to rebuild the already finished building. Since the middle of the 15th century, the building has been given its current name - Collegium Mayus, which means "The Greatest College". The Collegium had lecture halls, living rooms for university professors, a library and a joint hall. The building in the neo-Gothic style in 1840-1856 was adapted to the needs of the growing library. The reconstruction work was supervised by the Polish architect and restorer Charles Kremer, and in 1861 the work was completed by Hermann Bergman. In 1931, construction began on a new building for the university library, which was completed in 1939. After the transfer of the book fund, the Museum of the Jagiellonian University was opened in the Collegium Mayus.
Currently, the museum exhibits items related to the history of the university. For example, the collection contains a set of astronomical instruments used by Copernicus.
In Soviet times, scenes of the film "Shield and Sword" were filmed in the building of the Collegium.
