Munich, University of

(Ludwig Maximilian University), one of Germany’s oldest and largest universities, located in Munich, Federal Republic of Germany. Founded in 1472 at Ingolstadt, it was transferred to Landshut in the early 19th century and to Munich in 1826. Research conducted by the university’s scientists in chemistry, particularly the chemistry of naturally occurring organic compounds, has become world famous. Such prominent scientists as J. von Liebig, A. von Baeyer, R. Willstätter, and R. Kuhn have worked at the university.

The university has (1972) faculties of law, political economy, mathematics, physics, chemistry and pharmacy, biology, geo-science, medicine, veterinary medicine, and forestry. It also has two philosophy faculties (philosophy and history, philology and cultural science), a faculty of Evangelical theology, and a faculty of Catholic theology. Among the university’s other subdivisions are a pedagogical institute, more than 50 research institutes, astronomical and geophysical observatories, a botanical garden, and a research laboratory on the chemistry of food products. The library, founded in 1472, has more than 1 million volumes. In 1972 the university had more than 25,000 students and 1,250 instructors, including 300 professors-ordinarius.