Want info on the Top Oxford Attractions?

Let’s get one thing clear right now – Oxford is no ordinary town.

For a start, the world-renowned university here, which is among the most popular Oxford attractions, is the oldest English-speaking university in the world (established in around 1096).

Its many buildings reflect every style of architectural design used in Britain since the arrival of the Saxons in 410 AD and Oxford’s nickname – "the city of dreaming spires” – refers to the harmonious architecture of the university buildings.

Oxford normally sees the number of visitors hit the 3.5 million mark, but in 2012, this figure is likely to rise considerably with the influx of tourists from across the world coming to the UK for the Olympics that year, as well as for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and also WorldPride, which London is hosting.

Also in the list of popular Oxford attractions is something quite rare in any list of tourist attractions anywhere in the world – a book store!

Blackwells Books, which was founded in 1879 and can be found on Broad Street, just like the university, is not ordinary. It claims to have the largest single room devoted to book sales in Europe, the cavernous Norrington Room (10,000sq.ft.). They managed to create such a large space by excavating under neighboring Trinity College Gardens.

In fact Blackwell’s isn’t just one Oxford bookstore – but nine! The main store holds holds 250,000 volumes, but there are also specialised stores for art, music, rare books, paperbacks, maps and travel, medicine, children's books, and a university bookstore. The main store also has a large used books section.

Oxford attractions also include seven museums, including the internationally-renowned Ashmolean Museum, which was Britain’s first official museum. You can find it on Beaumont Street and admission is free.

There are plenty other Oxford attractions, including Carfax Tower, the Botanic Gardens and the Sheldonian Theatre, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, one of the best-known and highest-acclaimed English architects in history and who later went on to design his masterpiece, St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

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