The main building of the

Lund University , motto = Ad utrumque , mottoeng = Prepared for both , established = , type = Public research university , budget = SEK 9 billion Helgo Zettervall Helgo Nikolaus Zettervall, older spelling ''Zetterwall'', (21 November 1831 – 17 March 1907) was a Swedish architect and professor of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. He is best known for his drastic restorations of churches and other b ...

and inaugurated by

King Oscar II Oscar II (Oscar Fredrik; 21 January 1829 – 8 December 1907) was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death in 1907 and King of Norway from 1872 to 1905. Oscar was the son of King Oscar I and Queen Josephine. He inherited the Swedish and Norweg ...

in 1882. Construction began in 1874, when the old main building

Kungshuset Kungshuset, the "King's House", is a building in Lund in Sweden, built by the king of Denmark, Danish king Frederick II of Denmark, Frederick II between 1578 and 1584 and originally intended as the residence for the bishop of Lund. After the sece ...

had become too small for the growing number of students. The design is characterised by Helgo Zettervall's fascination with

classical antiquity Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...

, and features

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...

s and fancy copings. There were originally four

sphinx A sphinx ( , grc, σφίγξ , Boeotian: , plural sphinxes or sphinges) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a falcon. In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a woman, the haunches of ...

es on the roof, but they had to be removed within 30 years because of bad quality. In the 1990s four new sphinxes were placed on the roof. Like many of Zettervall's buildings, it was criticized for a lack of uniformity and not being well thought out. Image:Universitetsbyggnaden 080508.jpg, Front Image:Universitetsbyggnaden, Lund, 2004.jpg, South side Image:lunds universitetsbyggnad sfinxer.jpg,

Sphinx A sphinx ( , grc, σφίγξ , Boeotian: , plural sphinxes or sphinges) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a falcon. In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a woman, the haunches of ...

External links

{{commonscat-inline, Universitetshuset, Lund Buildings and structures in Lund Lund University 19th-century establishments in Skåne County Office buildings in Sweden