Lux libertas
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Old East, begun in 1793, is the oldest building of any state university in the United States.
- 5Buildings
- 3Traditions
- 1793Oldest · Old East
- 1931Newest · Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower
Campus map and Look Around
Tap a numbered pin to see that building from the street with Apple Look Around.
Planning the visit
- Fly intoRaleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Raleigh-Durham International, east of Chapel Hill, is the main airport for the Research Triangle.
- Getting aroundWalking / Chapel Hill Transit
The campus is walkable. Chapel Hill Transit runs fare-free buses across campus and through Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
- Colors and teams
The school colors are Carolina blue and white, and the teams are the Tar Heels.
5 buildings to stamp
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Photo: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Old Well
Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
University registrar Eugene Lewis Harris gave the campus well this neoclassical domed rotunda in 1897, modeled on the Temple of Love at Versailles. It is the best-known symbol of the university.
- Built
- 1897
- Architect
- Eugene Lewis Harris
- Style
- Neoclassical
- Today
- Monument and Drinking Fountain
-
Photo: (User:Wgreaves), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Old East
Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Built in 1793 by enslaved labor, Old East is the first building of any state university in the country. A third story was added in 1823, and it is still a residence hall.
- Built
- 1793
- Style
- Georgian
- Stories
- 3
- Today
- Residence Hall
-
Photo: (User:Wgreaves), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Playmakers Theatre
Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Alexander Jackson Davis designed this Greek Revival temple, built in 1850 as Smith Hall. It is a National Historic Landmark and a stage for the PlayMakers Repertory Company.
- Built
- 1850
- Architect
- Alexander Jackson Davis
- Style
- Greek Revival
- Today
- Theatre
-
Photo: CramBetter.com, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Wilson Library
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Arthur Cleveland Nash and William Kendall of McKim, Mead & White designed this neoclassical library, completed in 1929. Its dome rises 85 feet over the south end of the South Quadrangle.
- Built
- 1929
- Architect
- Arthur Cleveland Nash and William Kendall
- Style
- Beaux-Arts
- Today
- Special Collections Library
-
Photo: Mx. Granger, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
McKim, Mead & White designed this 172-foot brick tower, completed in 1931, with a clock on each side and a Guastavino tile arcade at its base. It is lit Carolina blue after football wins.
- Built
- 1931
- Architect
- McKim, Mead & White
- Height
- 52 m (171 ft)
- Today
- Bell Tower
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3 traditions to check off
Stamped! keeps these as a checklist, so you can tick each one off on the visit.
Sip from the Old Well
Campus tradition says a drink from the fountain at the Old Well on the first day of classes brings good luck. Visitors can take a sip from the fountain any day.
Davie Poplar
Legend says the university will thrive as long as this centuries-old tulip poplar in McCorkle Place stands. Visitors stop to see the tree.
Bell Tower in Carolina Blue
The Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower is lit Carolina blue after Tar Heel football wins. Visitors can see the 172-foot tower on the south side of campus.
Know University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 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.
More ACC schools
- Boston College
- Clemson University
- Duke University
- Florida State University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- North Carolina State University
- Southern Methodist University
- Stanford University
- Syracuse University
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Louisville
- University of Miami
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Virginia
- Virginia Tech
- Wake Forest University
Stamp all 5 on your visit.
Tour University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 3D before you go, add it to a college road trip and earn a passport stamp at every building. Free on iPhone and iPad.
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