Sorbonne Universite (The Sorbonne), Paris

Located in the heart of the Latin Quarter, Sorbonne University is a renowned institution of higher education that has produced several famous graduates, including Roland Barthes, Simone de Beauvoir, Dante, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, Gilles Deleuze, Jean-Luc Godard, and François Mitterrand, among others.

Originally known as the University of Paris, it is the world's second-oldest university, established in 1257 by Robert de Sorbon, chaplain, and confessor to Louis IX. The university's curriculum encompassed law, medicine, theology, and the arts. Since 1821, it has been under the control of the Paris Academy and the École de Chartres, training students in archival conservation and the preservation of written heritage. In 1885, Jules Ferrer, a former Minister of Education, commissioned architect Henri-Paul Nenot to design an eclectic facade for the university complex that would seamlessly blend neorenaissance, classical, and antique styles. The construction was completed in 1901.

On 2 May 1968, protests against capitalism, consumerism, American imperialism, and traditional institutions erupted at Sorbonne University and peacefully concluded on 29 May. The protests led to a social and cultural revolution, rather than a political one.

The Sorbonne now comprises 4 autonomous universities and can be enjoyed from the adjacent square with its fountains, trees and cafés.