Radcliffe Camera

The Radcliffe Camera, in Oxford

The Radcliffe Camera is the most emblematic and photographed building of Oxford, an elegant rotunda of Palladian style. The Oxford audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this architectural masterpiece, a reading room of the Bodleian Library in the heart of the town.

The emblematic Palladian rotunda

The Radcliffe Camera, affectionately nicknamed the Rad Cam, is undoubtedly the most recognisable and most emblematic building of Oxford. This magnificent rotunda of Palladian style was built in the eighteenth century by the architect James Gibbs, thanks to a bequest of the physician John Radcliffe. The term camera means here chamber or room in Latin: the building was designed as a library, originally devoted to the sciences. Today, it is part of the Bodleian Library and serves as a reading room for the students. With its unique circular form, its majestic dome, its columns and its refined decor, the Radcliffe Camera stands in the middle of the paved square of Radcliffe Square, surrounded by the finest monuments of the town: the Bodleian Library, the church of St Mary the Virgin and the neighbouring colleges. This ensemble composes one of the finest urban landscapes of England. An architectural jewel and a symbol of Oxford, the Radcliffe Camera is a must-see stop.

What to see

You admire the most emblematic building of Oxford, a magnificent Palladian rotunda built in the eighteenth century by James Gibbs, with a majestic dome and refined decor, a reading room of the Bodleian Library, standing in the middle of Radcliffe Square surrounded by the finest monuments of the town. The Radcliffe Camera is the symbol of Oxford. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Radcliffe Camera lies on Radcliffe Square, in the heart of Oxford, reachable on foot. You admire it freely from the square; the interior, reserved for studies, is sometimes discovered during guided tours of the Bodleian, which follow their own conditions. It is best to check them before coming.

What is the Radcliffe Camera of Oxford?

The most emblematic building of Oxford, a magnificent rotunda of Palladian style built in the eighteenth century by James Gibbs thanks to the bequest of the physician John Radcliffe; a reading room of the Bodleian Library, it stands in the middle of Radcliffe Square.

Where is the Radcliffe Camera of Oxford?

On Radcliffe Square, in the heart of Oxford, in England.