University of Athens
From Freepedia
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greek: Εθνικόν και Καποδιστριακόν Πανεπιστήμιον Αθηνών), usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in the region of the eastern Mediterranean and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837.
Today, it is the second-largest institution of higher learning in Greece, with more than fifty thousand undergraduate students. Its main campus is in Ilissia, where the schools of Science, Theology and Philosophy are located. Other smaller campuses are at Goudi, where the School of Health Sciences is located, and at Daphne, where the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science is located. The Faculties of Media, Education, Economics, Law and Public Administration are housed in buildings in the centre of Athens. The historical administration building is also located there, on Panepistimiou avenue.
History
It was founded on 1837 April 3 on the initiative of King Otto, and thus initially called Othonian University. It started regular operations on 1839 in the house of Stamatios Kleanthis at the foot of the Acropolis. 1841 saw the completion of the new university building, designed by Danish architect Theofil Hansen as part of the 'Trilogy', in the center of Athens. Today the university rectory is housed there. On 1843, the university was renamed National University.
The university took its present name in 1911, because of a large endowment by the merchant Ioannis Dombolis, a friend of John Capodistria, for the creation of a Capodistrian University.
