The Look of Campus
The Williams Tower, part of the Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness, is one of DU's best-known landmarks.
Living and studying on our 125-acre campus, you're surrounded by a blend of more than a century's worth of architecture, clusters of trees and wide-open spaces, and stunning views of the nearby Rocky Mountains.
Buildings from the 1890s live alongside buildings from the early 21st century. Many campus landmarks have stories behind them—true tales that have become a rich part of campus tradition.
For all their variety, DU buildings are united by a connection with Colorado's landscape. DU's signature building materials—red brick, limestone, sandstone and copper—mirror the colors and textures of Colorado's rock formations and rugged peaks. To symbolize the wandering path of learning, red brick walkways curve through lawns and gardens to link buildings.
Green spaces
The campus buildings are connected by acres of open green space, landscaped gardens and trees. Campus Green is the heart of campus. It hosts the annual May Days celebrations, as well as lots of pick-up volleyball and ultimate Frisbee games. The Harper Humanities Garden, with its fountains and meandering stream, provides the perfect spot for an open-air study session.
In fact, campus is so packed with trees and other green, growing things that it's been officially designated as an arboretum—one of only two in Colorado.
The campus skyline
The Ritchie Center's Williams Tower is probably the most visible landmark on campus. It stands 215 feet tall, and its gold-leaf roof reflects sunlight. On a bright day, you can see it from more than a mile away.
The tower houses the Williams Carillon, a set of 65 chromatically tuned bronze bells, the largest of which weighs about six tons. The carillon chimes on the hour, helping students across campus keep track of the day. Every December, the University carillonneur treats the campus community to a holiday concert.