Archivo Histórico Universidad del Rosario AHUR

History and Founding

The Archivo Histórico of the Universidad del Rosario (AHUR) has its origins in the founding of the university itself on December 18, 1653, by Fray Cristóbal de Torres y Motones. The archive was inaugurated with the personal book collection of the founder, comprising approximately 122 volumes. Over the colonial and independence eras, the archive's holdings were dispersed and damaged on multiple occasions, including during the Reconquista period when the claustro was converted into a prison and documents were used for non-archival purposes. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, political upheavals and wars further affected the collection. The archive was consolidated as a formal Archivo Histórico under the direction of María Clara Guillén de Iriarte beginning in 1975. Formal public-facing activities and digitization programs expanded in the 2010s. A digital archive portal and online catalog now provide broader access to holdings.

Collections and Holdings

The AHUR holds approximately 8,000 rare books, primarily from the 16th and 17th centuries, covering ecclesiastical history, jurisprudence, Latin and Greek texts, and medical treatises. Among these are 12 incunabula, including works printed as early as 1476. The archive also manages 830 document boxes of historical records from the university's founding in 1653 through the 20th century, organized by century. A Fototeca of over 1,800 photographs from 1880 to the present preserves visual records of the Colegio Mayor and the city of Bogotá. The collection of the university's journal, Revista del Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, beginning in 1905, is held in its entirety. The Loeb Classical Library (Harvard University Press) is also available for consultation. Notable institutional records document the university's role in Colombian independence in 1810 and the lives of independence figures, as well as documentation of scientific expeditions in Nueva Granada.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The AHUR preserves the complete collection of the university's academic journal from 1905 onward, constituting a primary source for the history of Colombian academic publishing. The archive also holds documents related to prominent Colombian public figures who studied at the Rosario, including Alfonso López Michelsen.

Access and Usage

The archive is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is located on the second floor of the Claustro of the Universidad del Rosario, Calle 12C No. 6-25, Bogotá. Researchers may contact the archive to schedule visits and class sessions. A growing digital archive provides online access to digitized documents through the university's institutional repository.