Cal
University of California, Berkeley
John Galen Howard shaped the heart of the campus with a Beaux-Arts plan. He designed the Greek Theatre, the Hearst Mining Building, Sather Gate and the Campanile, which is one of the tallest bell-and-clock towers in the world.
- 6Buildings
- 4Traditions
- 1903Oldest · Hearst Greek Theatre
- 1927Newest · Hearst Gymnasium for Women
Campus map and Look Around
Tap a numbered pin to see that building from the street with Apple Look Around.
Planning the visit
- Fly intoOakland International Airport (OAK)
Oakland's airport is the closest to campus. BART trains link both Oakland and San Francisco International to Downtown Berkeley station, a short walk from Sather Gate.
- Getting aroundWalking / BART
Downtown Berkeley BART station sits a few blocks west of the campus. Inside the campus, everything from Sather Gate to the Greek Theatre is within walking distance.
- Colors and teams
Locals call the university simply 'Cal', and Sather Tower is known to everyone as 'the Campanile'.
6 buildings to stamp
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Photo: Ryan Schwark, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Sather Tower
Sather Tower, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
Known to everyone as the Campanile, this 307-foot clock tower was modelled on St Mark's Campanile in Venice. Its 61-bell carillon can be heard across the city, and its cool, dry interior stores fossils from the La Brea Tar Pits.
- Built
- 1914
- Architect
- John Galen Howard
- Style
- Gothic Revival
- Height
- 94 m (308 ft)
- Today
- Bell tower, observation deck and fossil storage
-
Photo: Louis H. G., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Doe Memorial Library
Doe Library, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
Émile Bénard won the design competition for this Neoclassical library, which faces Memorial Glade. Its grand reading rooms sit above the underground Gardner Main Stacks.
- Built
- 1911
- Architect
- Émile Bénard
- Style
- Neoclassical
- Today
- University library
-
Photo: Gabriel Classon (gabeclasson on Flickr), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Hearst Memorial Mining Building
Hearst Memorial Mining Building, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
The first building John Galen Howard designed for the campus, created with help from Julia Morgan as a memorial to the miner George Hearst. A 1998–2003 renovation slid a seismic platform under the historic building.
- Built
- 1907
- Architect
- John Galen Howard
- Style
- Beaux-Arts
- Today
- Materials Science and Engineering
-
Photo: Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Hearst Greek Theatre
2001 Gayley Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720
Modelled directly on the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, this 8,500-seat amphitheatre opened in 1903 with a student production of Aristophanes' The Birds. It still hosts concerts and graduation ceremonies.
- Built
- 1903
- Architect
- John Galen Howard
- Style
- Neoclassical
- Today
- Concert venue and ceremonies
-
Photo: Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse This work is from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive collection at the Library of Congr, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Sather Gate
Sather Gate, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
This gate between Sproul Plaza and the bridge over Strawberry Creek has been the classic way into the centre of campus since 1910. Jane Sather gave it in memory of her husband Peder.
- Built
- 1910
- Architect
- John Galen Howard
- Style
- Beaux-Arts
- Today
- Campus gateway
-
Photo: Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Hearst Gymnasium for Women
Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan designed this symmetrical gymnasium as William Randolph Hearst's memorial to his mother Phoebe. It once offered women students three outdoor swimming pools.
- Built
- 1927
- Architect
- Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan
- Style
- Beaux-Arts
- Today
- Gymnasium, dance studios and classrooms
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4 traditions to check off
Stamped! keeps these as a checklist, so you can tick each one off on the visit.
The Campanile
Ride the elevator to the observation deck of Sather Tower for views of campus and the Bay. The carillon plays short daily concerts, and on the last day of classes it plays "They're Hanging Danny Deever in the Morning" before going silent for finals.
The 4.0 Ball
Students rub or kiss the stone ball in front of the Campanile for good luck, especially after stepping on a University seal. Give it a touch on your way past.
Athena at Doe Library
Legend says walking under the statue of Athena at the Doe Library entrance gives you wisdom, but walking back out under her takes it away. Students leave by the back doors to keep it.
Hike to the Big C
A walk from near the Foothill parking area leads up to the Big C on the hillside above campus, a hike almost every Cal student makes. Enjoy the view back over campus and the Bay.
Know University of California, Berkeley well?
Students and alumni know the traditions best. Suggest one we're missing, a building worth a stamp, or a fix. Every suggestion is checked against a source before it goes into the app.
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Stamp all 6 on your visit.
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