Back to blog
We love to hear about school traditions and legends! Not only is it fascinating but also really inspiring to know how much Notre Dame students and faculty stand by their traditions and beliefs. It's just amazing to see so much passion and pride! <3
In that spirit we have added a mini version of the beautiful Golden Dome to our ever-growing Notre Dame jewelry collection. Even if you can't go up the steps quite yet or if you scaled them many years ago, carrying a piece of Notre Dame with you always is a must!
Built in 1882, Notre Dame's Golden Dome sits in the university's Main Building and is the centerpiece of Notre Dame's history and future. It was recently regilded in 2005 to restore the dome to its glorious golden shine. It actually only takes a fistful of gold leaf to cover the entire dome! And atop it is a 19-foot-tall, 4,000-pound statue of Mary, the Mother of God. Hence the title “Notre Dame” meaning “Our Lady”. Although the building used to house students and classrooms, it now serves as a sort of headquarters for the university’s administration. It is the third building to be built and the second tallest in the entire university. It is truly a huge part of Notre Dame’s golden legacy!
Traditions & Lore
Notre Dame’s campus is full of long-standing traditions and lore. From the Midnight Drummer’s Circle the night before a game to the “Milkshake Mass” at Dillon Hall to the respect held for the Golden Dome. No one’s sure how the legend started, but undergrads are known to avoid the steps of the Golden Dome until graduation. Some speculate that this all started many years ago when a student was caught on the steps by a priest when he should have been in class. The student was told if he was caught doing that again, he would be expelled. The steps are crossed, however, when graduation comes around and new grads triumphantly walk up the steps to celebrate their commencement!
As most legends and traditions do, it has since then changed and now all undergrads avoid the steps at all costs, lest they be expelled!