No visit to South Bend is complete without at least checking out Notre Dame, after all, the top three things to do on TripAdvisor are on campus. It is full of beautiful architecture, majestic buildings, and the famed Basilica of the Sacred Heart and Golden Dome on top of the Main Building. Listed at #11 and also on the Notre Dame campus is the Snite Museum of Art which next to the Studebaker National Museum, was one of my favorite things on this trip.
The University of Notre Dame campus was founded in 1842 by a young French priest from the Congregation of the Holy Cross, Edward Sorin, and chartered by the Indiana legislature in 1844. A University only in name during the first decades of its existence, it included “religious novitiates, preparatory and grade schools and a manual labor school, but its classical collegiate curriculum never attracted more than a dozen students a year in the early decades.” The University now spans 1250 acres with 143 buildings and is organized into four undergraduate colleges — “Arts and Letters, Science, Engineering, and the Mendoza College of Business — the School of Architecture, the Law School, the Graduate School, and 14 major research institutes. Enrollment for the 2012-13 academic year was 12,126 students overall and 8,475 undergraduates.”
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart serves as the mother church for the Congregation of the Holy Cross. Construction on the Basilica began in 1870 under the direction of Sorin and the first Mass was celebrated in 1875. The Basilica is built in the Gothic Revival style and in the form of a Latin Cross. The Basilica has a beautiful sanctuary, seven chapels, 44 large stained glass windows and 56 murals. You can read more about the history of the relics and artwork housed in the Basilica here. Our visit to the Basilica took place on a Sunday morning; we did not have the opportunity to look around to observe a lot of the art and artifacts found within as Mass was happening, but we did enjoy the tranquility and beauty during our brief visit. When you plan your visit, I would encourage you to check their website to ensure you don’t disturb any Mass proceedings and so you may better appreciate everything inside.
The Golden Dome on top of the Main Building is another large architecture attraction to the already beautiful Notre Dame campus. Built in 1879 , The Main Building currently serves as the headquarters for administration although it does contain some classrooms. “The Golden Dome was added to this building in 1882 and was most recently re-gilded in 2005. Atop the Dome, you will find a 19-foot-tall, 4,000-pound statue of Mary, the Mother of God, “Notre Dame” (“Our Lady”).”
The Snite Museum of Art was another one of my favorite stops during our South Bend visit and at Notre Dame. The permanent collection features over 27,000 pieces of art! Most of the collection has come either from personal art donations or funds to purchase artworks. There are several major collections inside the Snite Museum including Mesoamerican art, old master paintings and drawings, and 19th century art and photography. The permanent collection is housed in 10 galleries spread over three floors with an additional five special exhibitions galleries that rotate. Admission to the Snite Museum is free. Parking can be a little tricky, but refer to the website for parking directions as the campus does have some construction currently happening. My favorite of all the works was the photography collection. The painstaking process to photograph, develop, and then care for these photos from the 19th century amazed me.
Honestly, we didn’t have much of an idea with what to expect on our visit to Notre Dame, but truly enjoyed the beautiful architecture and art while learning some of the history of this famous university. I would highly recommend a stop through when in South Bend.
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