Landmarks & Traditions
This neoclassical landmark, once the university's primary water source, grants good luck if you sip from its fountain on the first day of classes.
What is the Old Well?
This building houses Academic Advising, the Office of Undergraduate Research and other student support services.
What is the Steele Building?
What is The Pit?
UNC was chartered by the North Carolina legislature in this year, making it one of the nation's first public universities.
What is 1789?
This beginning-of-semester tradition features performances on the Quad from a cappella groups at Carolina.
What is Sunset Serenade?
UNC's main academic quadrangle is named after North Carolina’s 11th governor and includes buildings like Wilson Library and Hanes Hall.
What is Polk Place?
Home to the Carolina Union Activities Board and hundreds of student organizations, this building serves as the campus living room.
What is the Frank Porter Graham Student Union?
The cornerstone of this oldest state university building was laid on October 12, 1793, and it housed the first student, Hinton James.
What is Old East?
Legend says, if this centuries‑old tree in McCorkle Place falls, the university will fall with it.
What is Davie Poplar?
UNC’s Study Abroad Office offers more than this number of programs across nearly 70 countries, allowing students to earn credit around the globe.
This team-based intramural sport takes place in the campus pool, and involves using buckets of water to sink other teams' boats.
What is Intramural Battleship?
UNC became the first public university in the nation when it began enrolling students in this year.
What is 1795?
UNC's school colors of light blue and white originate from the colors of these two student debating societies.
What are the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies?
UNC’s library system includes 12 libraries across campus, where students are able to loan books from these three other universities.
What are NCCU, NCSU, and Duke?
Carolina has this many varsity athletic teams competing in the ACC.
What is 28?
In 1795, this young man walked from his home in Wilmington to Chapel Hill to become UNC's first student.
Who is Hinton James?
The Gift was installed in two phases, with this many years passing between completion of the first and second phases.
What are 10 years?
Each year, UNC researchers bring in more than this amount in sponsored research funding, placing Carolina among the nation’s top research universities.
What is $1 billion?
This student-led theatre company recently put on a show titled "Twelfth Night: A Sloshed Shakespeare Event".
What is Company Carolina?
Who are James K. Polk and Gerald Ford?