Radcliffe Camera, Oxford (must see)

The Radcliffe Camera is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Oxford and a defining feature of the city’s skyline. Despite its name, it is not a camera in the modern sense but the first circular library built in the United Kingdom. In this context, the word camera comes from Latin and means “room” or “chamber.”

The building was funded through a bequest from royal physician and scholar John Radcliffe, who wished to create a library to house scientific materials for the university. Several colleges debated where it should stand, but in the end, an independent site was selected in the centre of Oxford. To make way for the new library, a group of terraced houses, Black Hall, and nearby college outbuildings were demolished to clear the site now known as Radcliffe Square.

Construction began in 1737 and was completed in 1749. Designed in the English Palladian style, the building presents the appearance of three levels. The central highlight of the exterior is the rusticated ground floor, which supports the more decorative upper sections. To find this highlight, walk around the circular base of the building; look for the eight massive stone arches topped with pediments. These were originally designed as an open arcade for the public before being enclosed to provide more storage for the library’s expanding collection. The upper section is marked by pairs of Corinthian columns, while a lantern and lead-covered dome crown the structure.

Inside, the building offers a quiet yet evocative atmosphere focused on the academic past of the university. An open gallery runs around the first floor, and a statue of John Radcliffe by sculptor John Michael Rysbrack stands prominently within the interior. To find this highlight if you are on a tour, look toward the northern side of the ground floor gallery; look for the lifelike marble figure positioned in a grand niche. Carved in 1747, it depicts the physician in his robes, serving as a permanent tribute to the man whose wealth made the library possible.

Originally intended as a scientific library, the building later became part of the Bodleian Library system. In 1912, an underground storage room was added and linked to the Bodleian through a passageway. Above the entire structure, the final notable highlight is the lead-covered dome and lantern. To find this highlight from the square, look toward the very peak of the circular roof; look for the 16-sided lead dome and the stone lantern that sits at the highest point, which was a revolutionary engineering feat for the 18th century.

Today, the Radcliffe Camera contains more than 600,000 books and functions primarily as a reading room for students and researchers. Although the interior is not generally open to the public, visitors can access it by booking an official guided tour through the Bodleian Library. Visitors should note that as this is a working library, silence is strictly enforced, so checking the tour schedule ahead of time is advisable.