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Unfortunately, today the only remnants of this old college that
remain are the traces of the chapel, which is visible in the Sorbonne courtyard, yet the
history of this famous university in Paris does not
stop there.
A gentleman by the name of Cardinal Richelieu was elected president of the Sorbonne in
August 1622 and a couple of years later he also became King Louis XIII's chief
minister. It was Richelieu who decided to rebuild the university and he entrusted
the work to Jacques Le Mercier.
The first stone was laid on 28th March 1627 and the Sorbonne Church was first started in
1635, which is also the home of Richelieu's tomb, and Girardon's sculpture of the
Cardinal.
Amazingly, the chapel is now the only building still standing from this particular time
period, but the Sorbonne University was rebuilt yet again by Henri Paul N?not from 1883
through to 1900, which was to provide even more room for the increasing demands of
students. Amphitheatres, test rooms, laboratories, a library that housed over two
million works along with an observatory were all built for the growing student body and La
Sorbonne University was considered to be one of the most important reconstruction sites of
the end of the 19th century.
Over the years it has played host to numerous great people including the philosopher and
mathematician Ren? Descartes, the great writer Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre known as
Jean-Paul Sartre and many more.
Today, approximately forty percent of the students are from all over the World and it
still has a phenomenal International reputation, but just sitting outside on the terrace
of a cafe in front of the college, you can experience the different architecture and
atmosphere.
Postal Address & Contact Details:
Universit? Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV)
1 Rue Victor Cousin
75230
Paris cedex 05
France
Tel: 1 40 46 22 11
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