🇬🇧 King's College, Cambridge – Gothic Splendor & Poetic Legacy

King's College is one of the most iconic colleges at the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1441 by King Henry VI of England, it was named "King’s" in his honor. ⛪ The grand entrance is a majestic 19th-century Gothic gate tower. 📍 In the main courtyard a bronze statue of Henry VI, created in 1879, stands gracefully on the lawn. 📍 Built to showcase royal power and wealth, the college was designed to be grand from the start. Its chapel – a masterpiece of Gothic architecture – became a symbol of Cambridge and took nearly 100 years to complete (finished in 1547). Designed by Henry VI himself, the chapel features a breathtaking fan-vaulted ceiling supported by 22 buttresses. The 16th-century stained-glass windows depict biblical stories, and behind the altar hangs Peter Paul Rubens' 1634 painting The Adoration of the Magi, originally created for a monastery in Belgium. 🌊 The River Cam & "Kang Bridge": West of the chapel, vast green lawns stretch toward the River Cam – known in Xu Zhimo’s poetry as the "Gentle Waves of Kang River" 🌿. By the southern bridge, a stone is engraved with his famous lines: "I leave softly…" ✍️. In 1922, Xu studied here and named the river "Kang Qiao", forever linking Eastern poetic soul with Cambridge. 💡 Tips: Student tickets are £14.50 – both Chinese student IDs and digital student cards are accepted! 🎓 #ClassicalArchitecture #Cambridge #FarewellToCambridge #KingsCollege #TravelUK #PoetryInStone