The history of Wuhan University can be traced back to 1893. Governor Zhang Zhidong of Huguang invited the Qing government to establish a self-improvement school. Later, it was named National Wuhan University on 1928, including Dialect School, Wuchang Teachers College, National Wuchang Teachers College, National Wuchang University and National Second Sun Yat-sen University. In 2000, the school merged with Wuhan University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping and Hubei Medical University to form the new Wuhan University.

Wuhan University campus is famous for cherry blossoms, including cherry blossom castle, cherry blossom avenue, cherry blossom top, Luojia Square, Lingbo Gate and other related attractions.

The palace-style early buildings in the campus of Wuhan University are simple and elegant, and a number of early buildings (groups) of Wuhan University are listed as "national key cultural relics protection units" by the State Council, such as Songqing Gymnasium, Sakura Garden Old Zhai She, Old Library, Science Building, Banshan Road, Zhou Enlai, Guo Moruo, etc.

There are statues of Zhang Zhidong, Wen Yiduo, Li Da, Li Siguang, Wang Shijie and Einstein, as well as cultural landscapes such as "bronze statues of Confucius and Mozi" and "Kun Peng spreads his wings".