The University of London is not a cohesive, single university body in the manner of Oxford or Harvard. Instead, it is a collection of 19 university institutions and 12 research institutions, the largest and oldest of these is University College London (UCL). It was founded in 1826 and has approximately 23,000 students, but not all of these students are on the Bloomsbury campus, which is composed of several large and grand buildings which help to give Bloomsbury its grand air.

When it was founded, UCL had the distinction of being unique in several ways. It was entirely secular, admitting students regardless of religion or sex. It was the first university to offer English as a degree subject in 1828. And in 1836, it was one of two founding members of the University of London with King's College London. Although much of it may be closed over the summer, there are several buildings that are worth a look from the outside.

The UCL main building is a 19th century construction containing a library, various galleries and an attractive grassy quadrangle. The large dome over the centre of the building is visible throughout much of Bloomsbury. The Cruciform Building on Gower Street is a large, red-brick building in the shape of a cross which used to be home to the University College Hospital and which now houses parts of the medical department. Finally, the original UCL Medical School is housed in the Rockefeller Building on University Street, a grand building whose construction was made possible thanks to the support of the Rockefeller Foundation. 

University College London

Gower St, London WC1E 6BT