Jagiellonian University
Founded 1364. Poland's oldest university, Copernicus's alma mater.
Overview
Founded by Casimir the Great in 1364 and refounded by Jadwiga and Jagiello in 1400, Krakow's university is among Europe's oldest by charter. Nicolaus Copernicus matriculated around 1491, two decades before his heliocentric notes. Karol Wojtyla, later Pope John Paul II, studied and taught ethics here when it operated underground during Nazi occupation. The Collegium Maius courtyard and its globe still host ceremonies. Pope's window overlooks the university district from the square nearby. About 35,000 students attend across Krakow campuses.
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