bavarikon4UDescription
Refounding a university that had already existed for several years in 1402 was one of Prince-Bishop Julius Echter (1573-1617) of Würzburg's central reform issues. Against the resistance of the cathedral chapter, he had the construction of the university buildings begun in 1582. The abandoned Benedictine monastery on the southern edge of the old town served as the building site. A multi-storey four-wing complex was built here by 1591, based on plans by the Flemish architect Georg Robin (1522-1592). The Renaissance building shows a use of late Gothic building elements typical of the Echter period architecture, especially on the windows on the inner courtyard sides. The university church, which was included in the construction, is considered to be one of the most beautiful Renaissance church interiors on this side of the Alps. At Julius Echter's request, the heart of the prince-bishop was buried in this church after his death. Today, the church is profane and serves the university as a festival hall. In addition to the typical concerns of the Catholic reform, the foundation also served to secure the founder's memory. His person is not only present in the university name and seal today. The founder was also immortalised as a full figure in front of the relief of the founder above the portal to the complex' inner courtyard. The university already started running during the construction work. After philosophy, theology and law, medicine was the last of the four faculties to start running in 1593. The buildings erected by Echter and now known as the "Old university" still accommodate parts of Würzburg's Julius-Maximilians-Universität (Julius Maximilian University) today.