Cambridge: Of arts, architecture and history

Needless to say, the English county town of Cambridge is much more widely talked about for its academia aspect rather than its enriched culture, arts and architectural beauty.

The town, known for the world renowned University of Cambridge, has a tranquil atmosphere in its classical infrastructural and environmental beauty.

As for the arts and architectural designs, there are loads of tourist attractions throughout the town. And since all of them are pretty close together, you have the option of being able to see them all in one day.

Here, the local people are known as Cantabrigians, and the division county, as we have 7 in Bangladesh, is called Cambridgeshire in England.  

While walking down the narrow streets, student bars and cafés are seen all around as more than 20 percent of the residents are students in the entirety of Cambridge. Perhaps this is why there are a huge number of cycles tidily parked along every street, clearly indicating the local's main mode of commute.

KING'S COLLEGE CHAPEL

To kick things off, I stopped at the king's college, one of the most famous affiliate colleges to the University of Cambridge. The exterior architectural design, along with its main vista, the Chapel, is really astonishing, which was built back in 1441. Built in a gothic architecture, the college chapel is the emblem of Cambridge town, as we normally see it on the Cambridge Advanced Dictionary cover page. 

PUNTING IN THE CAM RIVER

When I was checking those ''Best things to do in Cambridge'' reviews, one of the most recommended things to try was to punt on the Cam river, which snakes through the entire town.

CHURCH OF ST MARY THE GREAT

The beautiful Anglican church, called the Saint Mary's Church, is a wonder to behold. First impression comes from its 114 feet tall stairway spire. It should be climbed for great surrounding vista due to its central location in the town.

Moreover, the church is illuminated with colourful lights as the dusk starts falling. Religious Music and operas are performed during special occasions.

THE MATHEMATICAL BRIDGE

The mathematical bridge which crosses the river Cam was designed by Isaac Newton and is held together only by gravity with no nails, screws or fixings. Years later, students took it apart to try to understand how it worked, but couldn't put it together again without screws and nails! This is the story told to tourists, because although the bridge is wonderful, Isaac Newton died 22 years before it was built!

BOTANICAL GARDEN

On the other hand, if you are into plants, flora and garden, taking a stroll in the Cambridge university botanical garden is definitely recommended. It is a vast 40 acres of land, with plants gathered from all round the world. Because of this collection, it has been listed as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO.

FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM

The museum is a must for the arts, antiquities and artefact lovers. The museum is owned by the University of Cambridge, and located in the very heart of Cambridge. The museum's towering view on Trumpington Street is mesmerising.

CAMBRIDGE MARKET SQUARE

The famous makeshift market, located next to Edington palace premise sells all the local foods, clothes, books, jewelry, arts, crafts, photographs, spices and so on. Organic items produced by the local farmers are the main attraction. Though a bit expensive, items are much popular among the visitors. 

REFRESHMENTS AND PUBS

If you feel tired, try going to a nearby pub as there are lots of grogshops in the town, get a drink and enjoy the boisterous ambience.

Situated about 80km North of London, Cambridge is traffic free and a quietly exciting town for its century old culture, arts and architectural monuments.

Photo courtesy: Samiul Raijul