The University of Fribourg, founded in 1889, is one of Switzerland's younger federal universities and the only one in the country that operates fully in both French and German — a reflection of the city's bilingual character. The main university buildings in the upper town are an interesting example of late-19th-century academic architecture, built to express both Catholic solidity and scholarly ambition.
The university library and the main quadrangle are open to visitors during the academic year. The campus gives Fribourg much of its youthful energy during term time, with the cafes and bars around the university district filling up noticeably when students are in residence. The university also maintains several museums, including the Bible+Orient Museum, that are accessible to the general public.