Things to see on a trip to Cambridge

Castle Hill

  Despite the absence of ruins, Castle Hill is a significant part of Cambridge's history. Here once stood Duroliponte, an Iron Age hill fort that later became a Roman town.   Climbing the Castle Mound affords a panoramic view of the town's rooftops and surrounding countryside. If the sky is clear in the north, you can see Ely Cathedral.   William I constructed Cambridge Castle in 1068 to protect the area during Hereward the Wake's rebellion. During the Anarchy, Matilda's forces attempted to take it by siege, but were unsuccessful. Throughout the First Barons' War, French forces seized control of the castle. Late in the 1300s, a substantial portion of the structure was rebuilt, but it was not maintained and quickly fell into disrepair.   During the Bronze and Iron Ages, people lived on Castle Hill, where a later mediaeval fort was constructed. In 43 A.D., following the Roman conquest of Britain, the Roman army constructed Ermine Street as a major route from London to the north. It traversed the western region of Cambridgeshire. After the Boudica rebellion in the year 60 A.D., the military constructed a fort on Castle Hill to secure the area. Akman Street connected Ermine Street with the fort. It was rebuilt in the 70s A.D., but the military abandoned it, and it became Duroliponte, which flourished due to its proximity to a road and the River Cam. By the fourth century A.D., the Roman military was struggling to combat Danish and German raiders who used the river to access the city. Upholstery Cleaning Cambridge Omegaclean To defend the region, limestone walls were constructed.   At the beginning of the fifth century AD, when the Roman army left Cambridgeshire, the Angles took control. Before Mercia conquered the county at the end of the eighth century A.D., it was inhabited by numerous tribes. The Mercians ruled Cambridge until 875, when the Viking commander Guthrum fortified it as part of the Danelaw. In 905, however, King Edward I of Wessex attacked and conquered Cambridgeshire. By 921, Cambridge had become a fortified town (town). The earth and wood rampart was backed by a ditch and surrounded an elliptical area with the River Cam on the west side. By the middle of the 10th century, Cambridge had become one of the most populous cities in Eastern England.  

The Central Mosque Cambridge

  The Cambridge Central Mosque is the first purpose-built mosque in the city and the first eco-friendly mosque in Europe. Its mission is to promote best practises in faith, community development, social cohesion, and interfaith dialogue for the benefit of the Muslim community in the United Kingdom and beyond. On April 24, 2019, the Cambridge Central Mosque opened to the public.   According to architect Julia Barfield, a mosque has no set appearance. In Egypt, Andalusia, Turkey, Indonesia, and the Arabian Peninsula, where Muslims require a place to pray, the architecture reflects the local aesthetic. It could be a collection of pagoda-style pavilions in China or mud bricks or rammed earth in Sub-Saharan Africa. It may have a single dome, multiple domes, or a flat roof supported by a large number of columns. It could be constructed from stone, wood, or concrete.   In the late nineteenth century, the first mosques appeared in the United Kingdom, when one was carved out of an existing terrace in Liverpool and another was constructed from scratch in Woking, Surrey. However, the typical style of a British mosque is unknown: the most common approach, often driven by the need to serve as many people as possible within limited budgets, is to build a plain box that is then decorated with motifs referring to the primary country of origin of the congregations - Ottoman for Turks and Cypriots, Moghul for people from the subcontinent - or from which the majority of the funding came.  

All Saints Church

  All Saints', a prominent city landmark distinguished by its pale stone spire, stands opposite the gates of Jesus College in the heart of Cambridge. It was constructed in the 1860s in accordance with the plans of the renowned 19th-century architect G.F. Bodley and is regarded as a masterpiece of Victorian art and architecture. Walls are covered with an abundance of flowers. There are stained-glass windows designed by notable Arts and Crafts artists like William Morris and Ford Madox Brown that emit light. The Churches Conservation Trust maintains the structure, which is accessible daily.   All Saints', a prominent city landmark distinguished by its pale stone spire, stands opposite the gates of Jesus College in the heart of Cambridge. It was constructed in the 1860s according to the plans of the well-known nineteenth-century architect G.F. Bodley and is regarded as a masterpiece of Victorian art and architecture. The wooden door conceals a colourful and patterned display. William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, and Ford Madox Brown, among other prominent Arts and Crafts artists, designed the stained-glass windows.  

Duxford's Imperial War Museum

  The Duxford aerodrome was constructed during the First World War. It was one of the earliest bases established by the Royal Air Force. Duxford was one of many new airfields constructed to train RFC pilots in 1917, when the Royal Flying Corps expanded. It remained operational after the war, unlike many comparable airfields in the smaller RAF. It served as a training school until 1924, when it was converted into a fighter station, where it excelled for 37 years.   In 1938, the No. 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford was so well-known that it was the first to receive the new Supermarine Spitfire. August of that year marked the arrival of the first Spitfire at RAF Duxford.   In June 1940, German forces conquered Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. The next objective of Germany was to conquer Britain. The RAF base at Duxford was made fully operational. After that, there was a significant amount of aerial combat, which became known as the Battle of Britain. The station then contributed to the protection of British airspace. On "Battle of Britain Day," September 15, 1940, its squadrons flew twice to intercept Luftwaffe attacks on London. Then, from the station, test and evaluation units departed. Before handing over its new plane to the U.S. Army Air Forces, this provided the Royal Air Force with vital information regarding its combat performance.   In April 1943, the 78th Fighter Group arrived at RAF Duxford, which the Americans quickly renamed "Station 357." Their primary mission was to protect the large fleets of US Eighth Air Force bombers during their risky and expensive daylight raids on Germany. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, when the Allies launched their long-awaited invasion of occupied Europe, every 78th Fighter Group Thunderbolt that was available attacked targets behind the Normandy beachheads.   Duxford was reactivated as an RAF station after World War II. This signified the beginning of its final phase of operation. With jet fighters such as the Gloster Meteor, Hawker Hunter, and Gloster Javelin, its pilots were prepared to shoot down Soviet bombers.   However, Duxford's time as an RAF base was coming to an end, as the defence requirements that had made it a fighter station in the first place no longer existed. It was too far south and too far inland to justify the expensive modifications necessary for supersonic fighters. The last flight from RAF Duxford took off in July 1961, and the future of the airfield for the next 15 years was uncertain.   IWM sought a location to store, restore, and eventually display exhibits too large for its London headquarters. The airport was authorised for use in this manner. Together with the Imperial War Museum and the Duxford Aviation Society, Cambridgeshire County Council revitalised the nearly abandoned aerodrome.   IWM Duxford is now recognised as the aviation history centre of Europe. This museum is distinguished by its historic location, world-class exhibit collections, and regular world-famous Air Shows.  

University of Cambridge Botanic Gardens

  Over 8,000 plant species from around the world are housed in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden (CUBG). This contributes to both instruction and research. Researchers and instructors have access to the Garden's plants, horticultural knowledge, and facilities.   However, since its inception, the Garden has also been a place of beauty and learning for all. It consists of a series of breathtaking landscapes where visitors can discover the drama of plant diversity.   The first Cambridge University Botanic Garden was established in 1762 on what is now known as the New Museums Site in the city centre. It cultivated plants used to educate medical students.   John Henslow was 29 years old when he accepted the Botany Chair at the University in 1825. The field of botany was struggling at the time. The Botanic Garden in the heart of the city was in disrepair because the last lecture had occurred 30 years prior.   Henslow's tenacity and political savviness persuaded the University that the Botanic Garden needed to be relocated to a much larger location so that serious experimental botany could take its place in the rise of natural science studies at Cambridge in the early 1800s.   The additional acres would allow for the cultivation and study of the fascinating new tree species being discovered at the time in western North America. Botanic gardens would no longer be viewed as drug plant nurseries used to instruct medical students. Henslow, on the other hand, believed that the Garden should be used to study plants.   Trinity Hall gave the University a 16-hectare plot of land one mile south of the city centre in 1831, but legal complications prevented its immediate development. However, planting did not begin until 1846, and due to the higher cost, the University only paid to develop the western half of the land. Andrew Murray, the first Garden Curator, and Henslow designed the garden together.   Murray's plan calls for a path that winds around the Garden. The Main Walk, which is composed of majestic and stately coniferous trees, divides the path east to west. Outside the perimeter path, a band of trees from the same species was planted. To the north of the Main Walk was a U-shaped lake, and to the south was an intricate collection of herbaceous systematics beds. This plan resulted in the current Grade II* heritage landscape. The design is in the "Gardenesque" style of the era, which combines individual plants with meticulously crafted landscapes.  

The Corpus Clock

  Locals and tourists alike have regarded the Corpus Clock as one of Cambridge's most distinctive public monuments since its unveiling in 2008.   It is a unique timepiece that is both hypnotically beautiful and profoundly unsettling. Dr. John C Taylor OBE FREng invented, designed, and donated it to Corpus Christi College (m1959). The Clock was constructed with the assistance of the local engineering firm Huxley Bertram.   The face of the clock is gold-plated, and the radiating ripples allude to the Big Bang, the central impact that created the universe and could be considered the beginning of time. The clock is perched atop an extraordinary creature known as the Chronophage, which translates to "time-eater" because it devours each passing minute with a snap of its jaws.   The term "grasshopper" was coined by horologist John Harrison in the eighteenth century to describe his invention of a strictly functional escapement.   Since the Corpus Clock lacks hands and digital numbers, it initially appears difficult to tell the time.   Close inspection reveals three rings of LEDs, the innermost of which displays the time in hours, minutes, and seconds. When the hour arrives, only the swaying of chains and the thud of a hammer on a wooden coffin can be heard.   As indicated by the Latin inscription beneath the clock, "the world and its desires pass away," time passes and we all die.   The pendulum is also inscribed with the Latin inscription Joh. Sartor Monan Inv. MMVIII, which translates as "Joh. Joh. is the name Johannes, Sartor is the mediaeval Latin word for tailor, Monanensis is the Isle of Man, Inv. is the verb invenit, which can be translated as discovered/made/realized, and MMVIII is the year 2008. 2008 saw John Taylor of the Isle of Man accomplish this feat.   The Clock is located on the site of a Natwest Bank, a structure designed by architect Horace Francis in 1866 to house the London County Bank.  

Market Square

  Cambridge is known for its many markets, and since the Middle Ages, merchants have set up shop in the city's historic market square.   The stalls are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Sunday, and offer a variety of goods, including street food, books, vinyl, CDs, and DVDs. Such items include clothing, jewellery, and handbags. The nutrient density of fruits, vegetables, and fresh fish is high. sale of garden plants and used bicycles There is more to mobile phones and their accessories than meets the eye!   Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the market square plays host to a thriving food, arts, and crafts fair. The market's vendors sell both locally grown organic produce and works by some of the region's most gifted artists, craftsmen, potters, sculptors, and photographers.  

Mathematical Bridge

  William Etheridge (1709-1766) designed the bridge in 1748, and James Essex the Younger constructed it in 1749. (1722–84). It was repaired in 1866 and rebuilt to the same specifications in 1905. The building, which was constructed around 1460 and is Cambridge's oldest riverside structure, is visible on the image's right side. It is currently a part of the President's Lodge.   The design is a minor feat of engineering from the middle of the 18th century. James King, who perished in 1744, was its creator. A 50-foot river is spanned by a bridge comprised of several shorter wooden pieces. For example, the horizontal piece that appears to span the entire river is composed of six shorter pieces of wood joined end-to-end.   Each component of the wooden voussoir arch bridge is compressed by the force of gravity acting on the entire structure: For a voussoir bridge to function, the compressive forces at the arch's springing point must be balanced by sturdy abutments. Bending wood weakens it (think about how easy it is to break a match by bending it). In this bridge design, the timbers in the side trusses are not required to bend significantly or at all:   The triangulation in the side trusses gives them strength without making them too heavy, and it prevents the bending of the joints between the arch's segments. Side winds do not cause as much damage to the structure because the sides are not filled in. Under the walkway is the only cross-bracing. It was asserted that if a side truss required a new piece of wood, that piece could be removed and replaced without affecting its neighbours or necessitating the dismantling of the entire bridge. This has never been attempted in real life.  

Wren's Library

  The Wren Library is one of the most famous and historically significant college libraries in Cambridge. You should visit if you enjoy books, old structures, or both.   Sir Christopher Wren, a renowned British architect and stonemason, designed the library. It is one of the numerous structures he designed or constructed for Cambridge colleges. Chapel at Emmanuel College and the Wren (Kitchen) bridge at St. John's are two additional examples of his work in Cambridge (although he did not build this). This library contains the rarest and most renowned books in all of Cambridge. Here are housed the first edition of Sir Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica and the first two folios of Shakespeare's works. It also contains A.A. Milne's original Winnie the Pooh drawings.