A university with more drama than a Netflix series?

In this article, we bring you 5 interesting facts about the University of Barcelona that will make you see it through different eyes. And if you're up for it, you can discover them in person on our comedy tour of the UB.

When we think about the University of Barcelona (UB)Students with backpacks, packed cafeterias, and quiet (or not so quiet) libraries come to mind. But behind their walls lie stories that seem straight out of a historical comedy: forced moves, superstitions, serious architects, students with leeches, and speeches that last longer than a TV marathon.

A university older than America (and Wi-Fi)

The University of Barcelona was founded in 1450, long before Columbus reached America. To put it in perspective: when this center was built, the United States, Coca-Cola, and Netflix didn't yet exist. And yes, people survived without Wi-Fi.

The first faculty was Medicine, and over time they joined Law, Arts and Theology. At that time, medical diagnoses included the use of leechesHeadache? Leeches. Bad mood? Leeches. Failed exam? Well, that was incurable.

Medieval medicine was a mixture of science, superstition, and faith. Students learned anatomy with drawings that looked like something out of a horror comic, and professors were more alchemists than doctors. Even so, the UB was a pioneer in medical education in Europe.

From exile to Cervera: the saddest Erasmus in history

After Barcelona's defeat in 1714, the king Philip V decided to punish the city by closing its university and moving it to Cervera, in the province of Lleida. It was what we could call the Rural Erasmus: The students were crying, the teachers were protesting, and even Cervera's sheep seemed to suffer with so many lost students.

The decision was political: to centralize power and weaken Barcelona. The UB remained outside the city during more than a century, until in 1837 He was able to return thanks to liberal reforms. It was a moment of celebration for the entire city. Imagine the students: back to parties, bars, and academic life right on the Rambla.

During this exile, Cervera became the epicenter of Catalonia's university life, but with a more monastic than festive atmosphere. Classes were rigid, supervision was strict, and coffee was nonexistent.

Gaudí studied here… but his teacher was the “boring” architect

The historic building of the University of Barcelona, inaugurated in 1871, was designed by Elias Rogent, a serious, sober architect who loved straight lines. Rogent was a mentor to Antoni Gaudi, the genius of the Sagrada Familia.

The comparison is inevitable: if Gaudí is the psychedelic cousin, Rogent was the serious one. The UB building is solid, elegant, and neo-Romanesque… but without dragons on the roofs or columns that look like donuts.

Even so, the building is an architectural gem. Its interior courtyards, majestic staircases, and imposing façade make it one of the city's symbols. And even though it doesn't have flamenco-dancing gargoyles, it's still a place steeped in history.

Medicine, Law, Arts and Theology: the first faculties

When the UB opened in 1450, it had four main faculties:

• Medicine: with medieval treatments and students learning to use knives… to heal.
• Right: where they discussed rules, punishments, and how to write laws without emojis.
• Arts: with painters, poets and philosophers who debated the divine and the human.
• Theology: in charge of saying that all of the above could be a sin.

A college party in that era must have been epic: doctors diagnosing hangovers, lawyers arguing over who should pay for the beer, artists drawing nudes, and theologians shouting that the whole thing was immoral.

These faculties were the seed of a university that, over time, expanded to all branches of knowledge. Today, the UB has more than 100,000 students and dozens of degrees, but its roots live on in every corner of the historic building.

The Auditorium: revolutions, endless speeches, and student protests

He Auditorium The University of Barcelona's great auditorium is a monumental space that has seen it all:

• Solemn graduations with speeches that last longer than an opera.
• Student protests with banners, chants and the occasional megaphone.
• Clandestine meetings during Franco's dictatorship, where democratic movements were taking shape.

This hall witnessed the struggle for freedom, public education, and civil rights. But let's face it, it has also been the scene of some of the longest speeches in history. So long that students joked that the only thing revolutionizing there were the coffee makers, ready to endure endless conversations.

Today, the Auditorium remains a place for meeting, reflection, and, why not, the occasional hidden nap.

Bonus: Did you know there's a secret garden?

Among the curiosities of the University of Barcelona, behind the historic building, between columns and corridors, there is a hidden interior garden It looks like something out of a novel. It's an oasis of peace amidst the urban chaos, where students read, rest, or simply escape reality.

This garden has witnessed university romances, philosophical debates, and the occasional impromptu lecture. If you visit the UB, don't miss it. And if you do so with HL Comedy ToursWe'll tell you which floor is the most nosy.

Conclusion: a university with history… and a lot of humor

The University of Barcelona Not only is it one of the most important educational centers in Spain and Europe, it is also a place full of anecdotes, curiosities and legends that reflect the spirit of the city.

From forced moves to Lleida to students struggling with exams (and endless speeches), the UB has survived it all. And the best part: it remains a vibrant space, with gardens, historic classrooms, and thousands of young people writing their own history every year.

Book your tour with HL Comedy Tours in Barcelona

Do you want to discover the University of Barcelona like never before? Join our comedy tour of the UB, where we mix history, humor, and augmented reality so you can experience the past with laughter.

Book now at hlcomedytours.com either histary.es

Laugh, learn, and explore the UB like never before!