The Complutense University of Madrid (UCM): A Historical Institution in Spain

The **Complutense University of Madrid** (Spanish: *Universidad Complutense de Madrid*, **UCM**; Latin: *Universitas Complutensis Matritensis*) is a **public** **research university** located in Madrid, Spain. Founded in Alcalá de Henares in 1293 (later relocated to Madrid in 1836), it is one of the **oldest operating universities** in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the **Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid**, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of Pozuelo de Alarcón. It is named after the ancient Roman settlement of Complutum, now an archaeological site in Alcalá de Henares, just east of Madrid. The Complutense University enrolls over 86,000 students, making it the eighth **largest non-distance European university by enrollment**.

The Complutense is one of the most historically relevant universities in Spain and in the world, and arguably the most intimately entwined with the development of the Spanish state. Both the Palace of Moncloa (the prime minister's official residence) and the Spanish Constitutional Court are located directly on the university's campus grounds. The university has trained numerous Spanish prime ministers, EU commissioners, and NATO secretaries-generals, as well as members of the Spanish Royal House over the centuries.

By Royal Decree of 1857, the Central University was the first and only institution in Spain authorized to grant **doctorate degrees** throughout the Spanish Empire, which established it as the 'Docta' (the Learned), making it the ultimate intellectual authority in Spain. This power was decentralized in the late 20th century, but the Complutense retained much of its historical precedence to the present day. The original name of the university in 1293 was 'El Estudio de Escuelas Generales', it was renamed 'Universidad Complutense de Madrid' in 1857.In 1785, Complutense became one of the first universities in the world to grant a **doctorate** to a female student, María Isidra de Guzmán y de la Cerda.

This historical significance and academic excellence of the Complutense University have made it one of the most important institutions of higher learning in Spain and the world. Today, it continues to uphold its reputation as a hub of knowledge, research, and intellectual discourse.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons