Sheldonian Theatre

On your right, behind the grinning statues resembling Roman emperors, you’ll find the famous Sheldonian Theatre, one of Oxford’s most emblematic historical monuments. Built in the 1660s, it was commissioned by Oxford University and named after the Dean in office at the time: Gilbert Sheldon. It was designed by the scholar and architect Christopher Wren. Unless you’re an expert in 17th-century English architecture, which you might be, you don’t necessarily know who he is. Well, he was a major figure in his field at the time,renowned for his involvement in the reconstruction of London after the Great Fire of 1666 and, above all, for his design of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London – the country’s only Baroque cathedral! The Sheldonian Theatre isa magnificent Baroque-style building crowned by a prominent octagonal dome. According to the architect’s son, Wren was inspired by a 16th-century engraving of Marcellus’s Roman theater from the 1st century B.C. Meaning that the theater originally had no roof, but a canopy in case of bad weather. However, the climate in Oxford is not the same as in Rome, and of course a roof had to be installed. The primary idea was to create a separate place from the colleges, whose sole use would be graduation ceremonies. Concerts and lectures were also held on stage, but the first real play wasn’t performed until 2015! Anyway, you can visit the interior for a couple of pounds and admire the splendid renovated ceiling frescoes and the impressive collection of paintings commissioned by Charles II, and of course access the dome for a stunning view of the city!