See the Heart of Notre Dame on One Campus Walk
Done early, the loop leaves time for the bookstore, the team arrival, and the band.
Settle in at your hotel, then go directly to campus. That one walk, done early before the crowds build, gives a first-timer the heart of Notre Dame in an afternoon.
Begin at the Main Building, topped by the Golden Dome. Bring a camera, because the stretch from the Dome to the library mural is full of places to stop for pictures.
Walk next to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the campus church. Its Gothic design and bright stained glass stand out.
Make your next stop the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, patterned on a well-known shrine in France. You do not have to be Catholic to find the candlelit spot memorable.
Finish at Hesburgh Library to see the Touchdown Jesus mural. From the stadium side, the raised-arms pose looks like a referee signaling a touchdown.
On a home game Saturday, time the same loop early to catch the rest. Stop at the campus bookstore for the season's official Shirt, a student-designed shirt sold each season, check the schedule for the team arrival, and watch for the Irish Guard.
Inside the stadium, listen for the band and the Victory March, the school fight song. Schedules vary by game, so check times before you set out.
Questions people ask
What exactly is Touchdown Jesus?
It is a 132-foot mosaic on the south side of Hesburgh Library showing Jesus with arms raised. From the stadium, the pose looks like a referee signaling a touchdown, which gave it the nickname.
What do people do at the Grotto?
It is an outdoor Catholic shrine set into rocks, with statues and banks of prayer candles. Visitors light a candle, sit quietly, or leave a written intention, and many come in the evening when the candles stand out.
What is The Shirt at the bookstore?
It is a special T-shirt designed by students and sold each season, with proceeds supporting student groups and causes. Wearing the same shirt is a visible game day tradition, and the design changes every year.