Healy Hall

Healy Hall is the landmark of the main campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and is designated a National Historic Landmark. The imposing building was constructed between 1877 and 1879 and is named after Patrick Francis Healy, the university's president at the time, who wanted to transform the school from a small college into a full-fledged university. The building was designed by architects Paul J. Pelz and John L. Smithmeyer, who later also worked on the design of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. As one of the last great examples of High Victorian Gothic style in the United States, its architecture blends elements of Romanesque, early and late Gothic, and early Renaissance styles into a neo-medieval whole. At a height of 200 feet, it is one of the tallest buildings in the capital.

Today the building serves mainly as the university's administrative center and reception area, although parts of it are still used as lecture halls. Visitors can discover a number of remarkable rooms here, including the Riggs Library in the South Tower. It is one of the few surviving cast-iron libraries in the U.S. and, despite its primary role as an event venue, still houses books. Another highlight is the magnificent Gaston Hall, a 750-seat auditorium often called the jewel of the university. Its walls and ceilings are adorned with rich allegorical scenes and the crests of Jesuit colleges, created by the artist Brother Francis C. Schroen. Other sights worth seeing include the Hall of Cardinals, the Constitution Room, and the Carroll Parlor, which houses important works of art belonging to the university.

The building's history is closely tied to the development of the university. Construction left the school with heavy debts, which is why Gaston Hall was not completed until 1909. Healy Hall also gained national fame through the 1973 film The Exorcist, which was shot in the building. One special tradition at the university is the theft of the clock tower's hands, a student prank that has been going on for decades and regularly lands the hands in the possession of students, who often send them to prominent figures or institutions such as the Vatican. Despite stepped-up security measures, the custom remains a fixture of campus life.