University of Pisa, Pisa

The University of Pisa was founded in 1343 by a Papal edict. It's the tenth oldest university in Italy and the 19th oldest in the world. The University of Pisa is also home to the Orto Botanico, the world's oldest academic botanical garden.

In 1486, the University constructed the Palazzo della Sapienza (The Building of Knowledge) in the Piazza del Granofor. A representation of a cherub above the Gate 'Dell'Abbondanza' (the Gate of Abundance) that leads to square. The cherub is now a favorite symbol of The University of Pisa.

Five popes, five Italian prime ministers, and three Nobel Laureates have come from this esteemed institution. One of the university's most famous alumni and professors was Galileo Galilei.

Galileo Galilei enrolled at the University of Pisa and sought a medical degree in the early 1580s. However, he left Pisa in 1585 without completing his medical studies.

Supported by the famous and influential Medici family, he became the Chair of Mathematics at the University of Pisa in 1589. He wrote De Motu during his time at the University of Pisa, but he never published these writings on the theory of motion. In 1592, Galileo left the University of Pisa in favor of the University of Padua.

Today, the University of Pisa remains an essential cornerstone of education and continues the tradition of preparing tomorrow's leaders.