Punting on the river Cam

Graduatuion day at the univeristy

ABOUT CAMBRIDGE

Cambridge has been an international centre for culture, science and learning for centuries. The town used to be a small river port on the river Cam. In Roman times it became important as a crossing point for a military road, hence the name Cam-bridge. The university began with a number of monks arriving from Oxford in the year 1209, and the university`s activities and buildings have been expanding over the last 800 years. The most famous university building is the magnificent King`s College Chapel (founded 1446) – the most famous leisure activity is that of punting (boating) on the River Cam through the `Backs` of the beautiful college gardens. Many famous and gifted people have passed through Cambridge – including over 60 Nobel prize-winners. Trinity College alone (the largest of the 31 colleges) has had among its members Isaac Newton, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Lord Rutherford, Alfred Tennyson, Bertrand Russel and Prince Charles. In the last 20 years many high-technology firms have developed here, leading to the nickname `silicon fen` due to our computer-related expansion, similar to that in `silicon valley` California.

The City of Cambridge is cosmopolitan. People come here from all parts of the world as students, as tourists and to work, and there are a number of specialist English language teaching schools. Cambridge has small but impressive science and art museums and a botanical garden. The town also has restaurants, pubs, small theatres and two multi-screen cinemas. It is easy to get around by foot or by bicycle. Cambridge lies approximately 50 miles north or London (1hr by train or 1½ hours by coach).