Collegium Maius, Kraków

Collegium Maius, the oldest building of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, dates back to the 14th century and is located near the Main Square in the historic Old Town. This architectural gem, originally part of the Krakow Academy, showcases late-Gothic design and features a large courtyard. The building houses the Jagiellonian University Museum, which was meticulously restored between 1949 and 1964. Visitors can explore lecture rooms, professors' quarters, and a treasury with historical artifacts, including the Jagiellonian globe and medieval scientific instruments. Notably, Nicolaus Copernicus, the renowned astronomer, studied here in the 1490s, adding to the site's cultural significance.