The University of León was founded in 1812 and teaching began in 1816. For more than a century it was the second most important university in Central America and in 1999 it was declared a university city by executive decree.
León is considered the cradle of Nicaraguan culture and is proud of its illustrious sons such as Rubén Dario, regarded as the founder of Modernism and Alfonso Cortes and Azarias H Pallais, judged the greatest exponents of Vanguardism.
León is a unique city of great traditions where culture and the traditional are intertwined. At sundown, you can see its friendly people seated in front of their houses. The enchantment and mystery of León are revealed by the secrets shrouded in the long halls of the typical colonial houses.