The charm of old buildings

I have always had a thing for ancient buildings.....palaces,courthouses,temples,churches and the like.Not that I know much about the different styles of architecture or anything...it's just the beauty of the buildings that I seem to love so.Yesterday,I visited one of the universities in my city.It is an old institution in that it is celebrated its 150th anniversary last year.I went there to do some work at the library but I did end up spending quite a bit of time roaming around.The university buildings are simply awesome.Almost all the departments are housed in these ancient edifices....from what little I know they seem like the Gothic style of architecture.The windows,the doors,the door clasps and handles all excude a charm.....a charm of a goneby era.There are many little nooks and hidden entrances and exits which you get a glimpse of,if you are observant.The campus is huge and there are many buildings.What is appreciable is that almost all are of the same style even though they were not all built at the same time.A few of the newer buildings do stand out like sore thumbs,thanks to those architects trying to create something 'modern' (ironically,the library is one such 'modern' building).Being on the unviersity grounds made me feel like I was in some castle.Except for the incongruous attire that I was (jeans and t-shirt) everything else made the setting perfect.....the manicured lawns,the pink stone castle-like buildings with ivy growing on them,the chiming of the bell tower.....

Aahh...what would I not give to be part of such an institution.....to be able to spend my time within the walls of those magnificent buildings,to walk those broad,wooden stairs,to use those small,secret doors,to look out of those huge windows at the blue sky.......