The University of Alcalá is the second oldest university in Spain. It was founded in 1499 and during its long existence it counted some of the most prominent figures of the Spanish culture amongst students and scholars. The most important literary prize in Spanish language, the Premio Cervantes, is awarded yearly by the King of Spain in the Great Hall of the University of Alcalá.
In 1998, the University of Alcalá was declared a World Heritage Site, being the first city in the world to be designed and built solely as the seat of a university. Alcalá is situated only 20 minutes away from Madrid and is an excellent starting point for discovering some of the most attractive cities in central Spain, such as Ávila, Segovia or Toledo.