UCM Logo

UCM Logo PNG

The heraldry of the oldest Spanish university, operating since 1293, presents the UCM logo, which complies with graphic rules and fundamentals. It reflects the location of the university, the name, and the heraldic swan, symbolically echoing the founder’s name, forming the unity and harmony of the emblem.

Meaning and History

In the company logo, not only the name is played, but also the place of foundation of the university. The fact is that the city of Alcalá de Henares, where the estate was bought for building a campus, in Latin sounds like Complutum. It is this option that formed the basis for the name of the institution of higher education.

Similar to the roll call with the image of a swan. The surname of Cardinal Cisneros, by order of which the university was opened, sounds like Cisne. Therefore, the emblem of the university depicts a noble snow-white bird, under the wing of which is UCM. This distinctive sign, together with the logo, forms a single symbolism in which all elements harmoniously complement each other. As a result, image paraphernalia acts in the interests of the most ancient university, emphasizing its high status.

What is UCM?

UCM is an abbreviation formed from the phrase “Universidad Complutense de Madrid,” the Spanish name for the Complutense University of Madrid, the oldest university in the world. The educational institution was founded in 1293 and gained the right to award doctoral degrees in 1857. Today, it offers a wide range of educational programs and conducts scientific research.

A mandatory element of the logo is a detailed name located at the bottom. The text structure is tiered, broken down into three fragments. The first is Universidad: medium-sized occupies 60% of the field, written in uppercase letters. The second one is “Complutense”: it covers 100% of the allotted space, it is made in large print. The third – “Madrid”: small, placed on 40% of the logo, indicates the location of the university.

The three-line structure of the key phrase visually balances the emblem since the massive coat of arms has an elongated shape. Against its background, the name of the university would be unreadable. Also, when you look at the symbolism, the word “Complutense,” which is written larger than others, is immediately evident. This technique has been used specifically to focus on the authentic name of the city in the Latin version. This emphasizes the antiquity of the institution.

There are several more brand names with a different distribution of elements. For example, in one of them, the words are placed in a column, and on the left is a coat of arms with a shield and a swan. All letters are uppercase, therefore identical in size and look proportionate. The largest word is framed, which is why it is not only large but also voluminous.

Font and Colors

The key symbol of UCM is the coat of arms, and its main element is the shield. It contains squares of two colors – eight golden and seven red. It has a crown (above) and kutases (below). The latter consist of cords and massive brushes of silver tint, as well as the central die, on which there are three inscriptions. Upper – “Libertas,” middle – “Perfundet,” lower – “Omnia Luce.” The color of the letters is brown.

Pendants with large brushes protrude from behind the shield and point down with their tip. The crown, as a sign of royal power, is painted in gold and studded with precious stones. The background is a spreading swan, which seems to protect the university coat of arms. The head of a white bird with a red beak proudly turned to the right.

All elements are surrounded by a ribbon with the legendary inscription “Universitas” (on the left), “Complutensis” (on the right), and “Matritensis” (on both sides in the center). The shape of the original edging is a pointed shield. The font used is called Filosofia. A variation of this font is used in all other phrases. It is considered individual and officially registered as a text part. It was equated to the original symbols of the university.

The main corporate color of UMC is red. It is perfectly complemented by silver, gold, light yellow, black, and white. The latter is considered background, but sometimes its place is black, on which the rest of the palette looks contrasting and bright. Only the shield is fully painted, a thin dark line outlines the remaining elements.

UCM color codes