Rich with tradition, stunning architecture and scenery, Lehigh’s breathtaking campus beauty is no mystery to its community. Old stone buildings trimmed with eye-catching spires and sculptures. Winding paths shaded by leafy treetops that turn brilliant hues of gold and crimson in the fall. Linderman Library’s grand stained glass ceiling set atop a layer cake-like rotunda of towering bookshelves.
These postcard-worthy, picturesque details recently received national attention when Lehigh was named to Condé Nast Traveler’s 54 Most Beautiful College Campuses list. The list, which encompasses campuses across the United States, serves as a source of visual inspiration and places to know for those who are interested in undergraduate options or thinking of grad school, according to the Condé Nast Traveler article.
“At these most beautiful college campuses in the United States, the scenery enhances the fruitful pursuit of learning,” according to the article.
Many of Lehigh’s historic campus buildings are known for their Collegiate Gothic architecture, a style that defines some of the most prestigious university campuses in the United States. Signature details of the style include stone cladding, pointed arches, tall towers, dormers, recessed entrances and sculptures.
The article mentions that Lehigh is “packed to the brim with old stone buildings,” many of which feature sculptures of alumni on their exteriors. One such sculpture is the face that guards the east entrance of Alumni Memorial Building and is believed to depict Henry Drinker, class of 1871 and university president from 1905 to 1920. Drinker led fundraising activities for the building, and he is the namesake of Drinker House, a residence hall on campus.
The article also recognizes Lehigh’s appreciation of the arts, noting that the university “is also home to the Lehigh University Art Galleries, which has a collection of over 16,000 works, including some by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Gustave Courbet and Marsden Hartley.”
Enjoy more photos of Lehigh's campus:
