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The city of Marburg

Elisabethkirche Vogelperspektive
Foto: Felix Wesch

'Marburg doesn’t have a university – Marburg is the university'

...is a popular saying that describes the city of Marburg very well. Studying at Philipps-University is more than attending lectures, sitting in the library, and discussing books with your friends. The university and the city have a lot to offer.

Marburg officially became a town in 1222 AD, but the landgrave’s castle overlooking the town is even older. In the castle’s shadow lies the historical city centre, home to several coffee shops, pubs, and bars. Fortunately, Marburg escaped being bombed during World War II and so the medieval city centre is still characterised by traditional half-timber houses. Downhill in the valley, the river Lahn flows through the valley and can be explored either by boat or by walking along its banks.

Today, Marburg has a population of around 80,000 and currently hosts more than 25,000 students. Thus, it is certainly true that Philipps-University, which was founded in 1527, and its students dominate the city of Marburg.

Gießen, another similar-sized university city, is only a short distance away. Or, if you are in a big-city mood, you can use your ‘Semesterticket’ and travel to Frankfurt, the financial centre of Germany. Frankfurt is the home of the European Central Bank, the German stock market and many other financial institutions.

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