Notre Dame campus tour: the Golden Dome, the Grotto and the lakes

The University of Notre Dame was founded in 1842 by Father Edward Sorin, a French priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, on land beside two small lakes in northern Indiana. He named it Notre Dame du Lac, Our Lady of the Lake. Today the campus has its own postal address, Notre Dame, Indiana, just north of the city of South Bend, and it is one of the most recognisable in the United States: a golden dome, a Gothic church, long tree-lined quads and a football stadium that fills on autumn Saturdays. This guide explains the layout, the landmarks and how student life works.

The shape of the campus

The historic heart is the Main Quad, often called God Quad, which runs north from the main avenue to the Main Building, with the Basilica beside it. Crossing it at right angles is the long South Quad, lined with collegiate-Gothic residence halls. North Quad has more residence halls, and beyond it the Hesburgh Library looks down a long mall towards the stadium on the east side. The two lakes, St. Mary's and St. Joseph's, lie on the north-western edge, a few minutes' walk from the dome. The whole core is flat, pedestrian and easy to cover on foot.

The Main Building and the Golden Dome

The first large college building burned in 1879, and the present Main Building was put up within months. Its dome was gilded a few years later and is topped by a statue of Mary, the "Our Lady" of the university's name. The dome is regilded from time to time and is visible from far outside the campus. The building still houses the university's administration, and its interior rotunda rises up into the dome.

The Basilica, the Grotto and the Log Chapel

Beside the Main Building stands the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, a Gothic Revival church completed in the 1880s, with a tall spire, a painted interior and nineteenth-century French stained glass. It remains a working church, so visitors should be mindful of services.

Behind the Basilica, down a short slope, is the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, built in 1896 as a small-scale replica of the shrine in France. Students light candles here at all hours, especially before exams and big games, and it is the quietest spot on campus.

Close by, near St. Mary's Lake, are two reminders of the earliest years: the Log Chapel, a replica of the mission chapel that stood here before the university, and Old College, built in 1843 and the oldest building on campus.

Hesburgh Library and "Touchdown Jesus"

The fourteen-storey Hesburgh Library opened in 1963 and was later named for Father Theodore Hesburgh, who led the university for 35 years. Its south face carries the Word of Life, an enormous stone mosaic by the artist Millard Sheets showing Christ with raised arms among saints and scholars. Because it lines up with one end of the football stadium, it has been known for decades as "Touchdown Jesus". A reflecting pool in front makes it one of the most photographed views on campus.

Notre Dame Stadium and game days

Notre Dame Stadium opened in 1930, in the time of the coach Knute Rockne, and is home to the Fighting Irish. Football here is closer to a campus-wide festival than a sporting fixture: on home Saturdays the marching band plays across the quads, alumni return in large numbers, and the whole place fills from early morning. Three large buildings attached to the outside of the stadium in the 2010s now hold a student centre, classrooms and music facilities, so the stadium is used every day of the year.

Basketball and ice hockey have their own arenas elsewhere on campus.

Residence halls instead of fraternities

Notre Dame has no fraternities or sororities. Social life runs through the residence halls, which are single-sex and each have their own chapel, colours, mascot and signature events, as well as teams in the long-running interhall sports leagues. Students are placed in a hall when they arrive, and many remain in the same one for years, so hall loyalty is strong.

South Quad shows the system at its most handsome. Its Gothic halls date mostly from the 1920s and 1930s, and South Dining Hall, with its high timbered rooms, was designed by Ralph Adams Cram, the architect who also planned Rice University. LaFortune Student Center, near the Main Building, is the older of the two student hubs.

The lakes and beyond

Footpaths circle both lakes, and the walk around St. Mary's Lake gives the classic view back to the dome and the Basilica spire across the water. On the southern edge of campus are the performing arts centre and the university's art museum, and just beyond them Eddy Street Commons, a few blocks of shops and restaurants built with students and visitors in mind.

Visiting the campus

The grounds are open to walk through, and the university has a visitor centre near the main entrance. Tours and admissions presentations for prospective students are typically available, but the schedule changes through the year and around football weekends, so check the university's official visitor page for current arrangements.

Getting there and around

• By air: South Bend has its own regional airport a short drive from campus. Many visitors fly into Chicago instead and continue by road or rail.
• By train: the South Shore Line runs between downtown Chicago and South Bend's airport.
• By car: Chicago is roughly 90 miles (about 150 km) to the west along the Indiana Toll Road; allow around two hours.
• Mind the clock: South Bend keeps Eastern time, an hour ahead of Chicago.

Where families usually base themselves

• On or beside campus: the most convenient option, including Eddy Street Commons; it fills early.
• Downtown South Bend: a few minutes' drive south, by the St. Joseph River.
• Mishawaka: the neighbouring city to the east, with a wide choice of chain hotels near the shopping district.

On home football weekends, rooms across the whole area are reserved many months ahead, so a quieter date makes for an easier trip. Winters are cold and snowy; late spring and early autumn show the campus at its best. Our University of Michigan guide covers another Midwestern campus where football shapes the calendar.

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Cover photo: Eccekevin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons