Colegio de San Nicolás

Tracing its origins to the sixteenth century, this college in central Morelia is among the oldest institutions of higher learning still operating in the Americas. Its arcaded stone courtyards educated leading figures of Mexican independence, including the priest José María Morelos, for whom the city is named. Now part of the state university, the building preserves lecture halls, a chapel and rooms tied to its alumni. Its continuity and role in shaping national leaders give it a place in the country's cultural memory.