Portal:Indiana/Selected article/5

The University of Notre Dame is a Roman Catholic institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. "Notre Dame," meaning "Our Lady" in French, refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Indiana General Assembly granted the school its charter on January 15, 1844, under the name University of Notre Dame du Lac. While the translation of the French is "Our Lady of the Lake," the university actually has two lakes on its campus. Notre Dame's picturesque campus sits on 1,250 acres (5 km²) containing two lakes and 136 buildings.

The school was founded on November 26, 1842, by 28-year-old Rev. Edward Sorin, CSC, and six Holy Cross Brothers who were members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, founded in Le Mans, France, in 1837. The University's Roman Catholic character is physically manifest throughout the Notre Dame campus. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is centrally located on campus. A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands atop the Main Building's dome, there are chapels in every residence hall, and crucifixes in most classrooms on campus. 82% of the student body self-identifies as Roman Catholic.