What is unique about Notre Dame?

What's unique about Notre Dame (referring to the University of Notre Dame) includes its distinctive, tradition-rich single-sex dorm system with unique cultures, iconic campus landmarks like the Golden Dome and Grotto, strong Catholic identity with a focus on service, celebrated college football history, and a vibrant campus life fostering deep community and spiritual traditions, according to the University of Notre Dame admissions website.

What's so special about Notre Dame football?

The school recognizes 983 total wins in program history. Notre Dame has had 22 undefeated seasons including 12 perfect seasons, and their home games have been televised by NBC since 1991. The Fighting Irish have played in blue jerseys with gold helmets and highlights for much of their history.

What's the big deal about Notre Dame?

Notre Dame de Paris dates back to the 12th century. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site with Paris Banks of the Seine, it is one of the most beloved monuments in the world, visited by more than 12 million people every year before the fire.

What is Notre Dame best known for?

Notre Dame is known for its iconic University in Indiana, famous for its passionate "Fighting Irish" football, beautiful campus (Golden Dome, Touchdown Jesus), strong Catholic identity, top academics (Business, STEM), vibrant community, and extensive alumni network, alongside the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture renowned for its stained glass, spires, and cultural significance, which tragically suffered a fire in 2019 but remains a global landmark. 

What is the secret underground in Notre Dame?

Beneath Notre Dame Cathedral lies the Archaeological Crypt, a hidden museum revealing Paris's ancient past, featuring Roman ruins, old streets, and bathhouses from the city's Roman era (Lutetia) through medieval times, discovered during 19th-century renovations and reopened after the 2019 fire. Additionally, the cathedral's restoration uncovered mysterious medieval tombs, including lead sarcophagi with skeletons, sparking historical investigations into their origins and identities.
 

Notre Dame: The Pros, the cons, and how to get in.

Who were the bodies found under Notre-Dame?

Following a 2019 fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, archaeological restoration work uncovered 100 unknown burials under the cathedral, including a mysterious lead coffin. French researchers believe they found the remains of famed French Renaissance poet Joachim du Bellay, who died in 1560.

Where is Christ's crown of thorns kept?

The Crown of Thorns, a major Christian relic, is now back at its historic home in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, after being safely stored at the Louvre Museum following the 2019 fire. It was returned in a special ceremony in December 2024 and is displayed in a new, ornate reliquary designed by Sylvain Dubuisson, with public veneration happening regularly, especially on Fridays.
 

Why is Notre Dame so special?

Notre Dame's special quality stems from its dual identity: the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a Gothic masterpiece known for its stunning stained glass, flying buttresses, and pivotal role in French history (like Napoleon's coronation); and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, famous for its strong Catholic identity, iconic campus with the Golden Dome, passionate "Fighting Irish" sports culture (especially football), and a tight-knit, tradition-rich community focused on faith, service, and academic excellence.
 

What is the #1 hardest college to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as it changes slightly by year and criteria, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the top with extremely low acceptance rates (often 3-4%) and intense competition for spots, though other top global universities like Oxford and Tsinghua are also incredibly selective. Harvard is frequently cited as the hardest due to its high volume of applications and focus on global leadership potential, while Caltech is known for its extreme difficulty in STEM. 

Is it harder to get into Duke or Notre Dame?

Duke is generally harder to get into than Notre Dame, consistently showing lower acceptance rates (around 5-11%) compared to Notre Dame (around 11-20%), though both are highly selective schools with strong academic profiles and competitive admissions. Duke often sees slightly higher average SAT/ACT scores and its admissions are considered more challenging overall, though admissions are complex and depend on many factors. 

What are 5 facts about Notre Dame?

Notre Dame Cathedral, "Our Lady of Paris," is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture built starting in 1163, famous for its flying buttresses, rose windows, and role in French history, including Napoleon's coronation, though its famous gargoyles and spire were later additions, and it suffered significant damage in a 2019 fire. 

What church took 623 years to build?

The church that took around 623 years to build is the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) in Germany, with construction starting in 1248 and finally finishing in 1880, spanning 632 years due to medieval interruptions, funding issues, and design changes, making it a towering Gothic masterpiece and a symbol of perseverance.
 

Does Notre Dame still smell like smoke?

Yes, even after extensive restoration and cleaning, visitors and reports from early 2025 indicate that a faint, lingering smell of smoke and carbon can still be detected inside Notre Dame, serving as a poignant reminder of the 2019 fire, alongside the new brightness and incense. 

Who is Notre Dame's biggest rival?

Notre Dame's biggest rival in college football is widely considered to be the USC Trojans, due to their historic, nationally significant matchups, but other major rivals include Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, and Pittsburgh, creating a rich tapestry of traditional rivalries for the Fighting Irish.
 

Why does Notre Dame have such a large fanbase?

Do you know why so many Notre Dame fans have seemingly little connection to campus? Family, religion, and even immigrant history has led to fans across the country supporting the Fighting Irish. Here's the story of our Subway Alumni: https://go.nd.

What is the #1 party school?

For 2026, the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is widely ranked as the #1 party school by sources like Niche and Business Insider, followed by schools like Florida State University and Tulane University, based on student surveys about campus party culture, access to bars, and Greek life.
 

Where do top 1% send kids to college?

The "top 1%" of students, referring to those from the highest income brackets, tend to attend elite universities like MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and Yale that consistently rank high in national and global lists, with some even having more students from the top 1% income bracket than the bottom 60% combined, according to The New York Times data. Top-ranked institutions like MIT, Princeton, Harvard, and Stanford are frequent top contenders in various 2026 rankings from U.S. News & World Report and Times Higher Education. 

Where do the 1% go to college?

The 1% of the wealthiest Americans disproportionately attend highly selective, elite universities, particularly Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Penn, Columbia) and other top institutions like MIT, Stanford, Duke, and UChicago, where they make up a large percentage of the student body, often outnumbering students from the bottom 60% of income earners combined. Liberal arts colleges and prestigious public universities also attract many wealthy students, with specific examples including WashU St. Louis, UVA, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Vanderbilt, and Johns Hopkins.
 

Why is Notre Dame so prestigious?

Notre Dame's prestige stems from its strong academics (top programs in business, economics, engineering), high national rankings, a unique Catholic mission focused on character and service, exceptional student outcomes (high retention/graduation rates), a stunning campus, powerful alumni network, and legendary sports programs (especially football), creating a potent blend of intellectual rigor, moral development, and school spirit. 

Can you go inside Notre Dame now?

Yes, you can go inside Notre Dame Cathedral now, as it officially reopened in late 2024 after extensive restoration from the 2019 fire, offering free entry to the main cathedral and ticketed access to the towers for panoramic views, but booking a free time slot online is highly recommended to avoid long waits.
 

Who owns Notre Dame?

Since 1905, Notre-Dame, like the other cathedrals in France, has been owned by the French government, with the exclusive rights of use granted to the French Roman Catholic Church.

Where is Jesus' blood kept?

The purported relic of Jesus' blood, a cloth stained with his blood, is kept in a crystal vial within the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges, Belgium, where it is venerated and displayed for the faithful, a tradition dating back to the 12th century when it was brought from the Holy Land.
 

Is there still a bloodline of Jesus?

No, there is no historical evidence or consensus that Jesus had biological descendants, as the Gospels depict him as never marrying or fathering children, but it's highly likely distant blood relatives from his mother Mary's side (his half-siblings' offspring) exist today, though untraceable. While some theories suggest Jesus married Mary Magdalene, mainstream historians and scholars dismiss these claims, which lack factual basis, as often sensationalized, unlike verified descendants of his apostles or other biblical figures. 

Why did they put 72 thorns on Jesus' head?

The Gospels describe Roman soldiers placing a crown of thorns on Jesus' head as a form of mockery (Matthew 27:29; John 19:2). While intended as humiliation, many Christian theologians interpret this act as rich in symbolic meaning—Christ bearing the physical sign of the Fall's curse.