Yale University is as big as a small city. That is understandable; it was established back in 1701, when America was largely made up of unspoiled forests and natural plains. Yale is the third oldest institution of higher learning in America; and one of the oldest in the world.
It was built by Royal Charter; as at that time the country was held by the monarchs of England as an overseas territory. Yale largely looks like a small city in England; this is because much of the architecture is reflective of the styles of Europe at the time of the founding.
But Yale is not located in England, or anywhere else in Europe. It is located on the other side of the Atlantic.
Where Is Yale University Located?
Yale University is located in the United States of America; specifically in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. The university is quite sizable; it measures 1,015 acres – making it the equivalent of a midsized city.
As for population, Yale certainly qualifies as a small city – it usually has more than 20,000 people within its grounds. That is 14,000 students, 5000 members of academic staff, and 4000 administrators – not counting other non academic staff.
Yale has everything, residences, theaters, gyms and fitness centers, shops and boutiques, cafes, restaurants, eateries, ice cream parlors, and so on. One could live a lifetime at Yale and not lack anything. It is truly a city of its own – a place with enough people and activities to be self sustaining.
The Architecture And Design
Yale is distinctive in its architecture; some of the buildings at this university are designed to impress.
The Sterling Law Building
The Sterling Law Building is styled like a medieval European castle; like a gothic building – something from a horror movie. It could also be the residence of any royal family in Europe, or any one of the Noble Houses.
The building is an exact copy of a similar structure in England; one that serves similar legal purposes.
Woosley Hall
Woosley Hall is designed like an ancient Greek or roman building. Of course such designs are also present in modern day Europe and America, where they mostly serve for government and state purposes. The interior is like the Sistine chapel; a mosaic of shapes and colors that can leave one’s mind wandering off from the present locality. Thankfully, the building is used for engaging purposes like concerts, musical renditions, and dramatic presentations.
It is the main auditorium of Yale University, it is the first point of call for major speeches – the type that students from all over university.
Kroon Hall
Kroon Hall is another architectural wonder; this is a modern, minimalist building which houses the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. This is the best place to study the environment, and how humans can live without damaging it too much.
The building is like a cathedral, but in a much modern form. It has very high sustainability goals, with it meets by incorporating a number of features, such as abundant windows to take advantage of the natural light, a design that is dual faced; to the east and west thus embracing the sunlight.
For electrical power, this building also makes use of photovoltaic cells, and low energy fittings are installed throughout the building to ensure that it remains self-sustaining.
Old Campus
Yale’s Old Campus is arguably the most recognizable part of the university; it is famous for the red bricks, the medieval towers, and the castle – like structure of the designs. It is designed like a large stone castle or fort, built to be easily defended by the occupants.
There is a large amount of ground surrounding this area of campus. Although there are a few tree in the area, most of the ground is bare – only covered with short grass. This adds to the beauty of the buildings because it means that the buildings are not obstructed from view. It also means that the security team can see the invaders from far off.
Harkness Tower
Harkness Tower is another unmistakable building; one that every visitor to the university must see. It is like a medieval tower, something that may have served as an observation tower, or a library, or a laboratory in the times before the modern era.
Harkness Tower is complete with gothic designs and finishing. There is so much that modern students of architecture can learn from this design; it can inspire them to create even more chilling building designs.
As shown by the paragraphs above, the university campus is a city of its own. But how does it relate with the wider city of New Haven?
Relationship With New Haven
A lot has been said about the lack luster relationship between Yale university and New Haven; Yale is growing by every metric, whereas New Haven is struggling – even declining by many metrics.
In view of this, Yale has taken many steps to strengthen ties with its host community – it is trying to reach out to the community where it is located so that its light can shine over the city, and people can see the impact of such a prestigious learning institution.
Yale makes several important financial contributions to the city, and it is also the largest employer and tax payer in the city. Yale has a scholarship program for eligible students in New Haven’s Public Schools.
Yale encourages its students to join in the community organizations. For example, thousands of Yale students participate in cleaning efforts, as well as in efforts to repaint city monuments. These small acts by the students go a long way to save huge costs for the city. They are mutually beneficial because the city gets free labor, while the university gets to engage its students.
The greatest evidence of a working relationship between the city of New Haven and Yale University is the fact that the steady decline in the incidences of violent crime in the city coincides with the emergence of Yale as one of the safe test among the Ivy League Schools.
The universities library and museums are free and open; which means that high school students in the city have a unique opportunity to access one of the most important vaults of knowledge in the country.
Libraries Museums And Other Monuments
Yale is one of the oldest institutions of learning in the USA; and as a result, it has some of the best endowed libraries and museums, with some of the rarest pieces. In fact, some of the artefacts in the museums are unique; they have no other specimen.
Sterling Memorial Library
The Sterling Memorial Library is one of the most important structures in the university; it is a large gothic building that attracts students from all departments. It attracts the students because it has what they need – books!
The library has over 4 million books in its collection, and they are housed in 16 levels. The library also has special collections – rare books, some of which can only be found here. It is a great place to the evolution of knowledge over the ages.
The library is attraction in itself because of the amazing detail of the construction. The stone ornamentation, as well as the stained glass murals.
Yale University Art Gallery
The Yale University Art Gallery is another important and beautiful edifice. It is the first art gallery associated with a university in the United States of America. Interestingly, this is not one building; it is several interconnected buildings.
The various buildings house various sections of the gallery’s collection. It has an extensive collection of paintings from the era of the American Revolution. One patriot donated 100 different pieces.
The gallery also has a section dedicated African art; it includes 1000 different pieces, including wood carvings, masks, terra cotta, bronze, and so many other items.
The gallery also has several important paintings from historically significant artists like Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gough.
Egyptian, Greek, and Roman paintings also make up a significant part of Yale University’s collection.
This is a great place to gain a comprehensive knowledge of art. It is worthy of mention that this gallery is free and open.
Peabody Museum of Natural History
This is one of the oldest and largest museums of natural history in the world. It was established in 1866, and has grown to become one of the most extensive in its category. It contains some rare pieces; some of which are not found anywhere else. It contains relics of animal life as far back as prehistoric times, as well as specimens of extinct animals, local birds, and so on.
This museum contains the skeletal remains of a Brontosaurus, as well as a Torosaurus. It has a Giant Squid.
This museum is broken into segments or exhibits, one is dedicated to Dinosaurs, one to birds, one to the evolution of man. There visitors can see various fossilized remains from the era before the development of the first human.
There is also an exhibit about ancient Egyptians; what they looked like, and the advancement of that civilization.
This is a great place to study the gradual and chronological development of the world as it is, and the place of humankind in it.
What Is Life In Yale Like?
As shown by the university’s commitment to the development of the host community, life in Yale is all about studying at a world class institution, and becoming a better person than one was at the time when entered.
The institution is quite a busy academic community; students jostle from class to class, working hard to meet up with the demanding academic schedule. Nevertheless, there is plenty of time for other activities, such as the theatre, sports, the library, museum, and so on.
The university grounds also has many who prefer the outdoors; walking and jogging are some very popular activities on the campus.
There are secret societies on campus; despite that name tag, many of their activities are quite open. Some of them are scientific fraternities, others are centered on business, while some of them are just young people spending time together, sharing drinks, and talking about whatever they want. Nevertheless, all societies on campus have their distinct traditions.
There is the Yale School Of Music, and the associated Yale University Collection Of Musical Instruments. Even students who are not in this department tend to frequent the classes and the collection. Music is something that does not recognize borders.
Generally speaking Yale is quite a competitive place; its faculty is made up of some of the most respected scientists in the country. As a result it always seems as if there is competition in the air; students are trying to outdo each other in gallantry.
Yale is a place to make friends for the future; this is a place where one is surrounded by brilliant minds, some of who will inevitably become world leaders in their various fields of endeavor.
Yale is a great place. It is also very safe.
Campus Safety A Priority At Yale
Since the 1890’s Yale has instituted many sweeping changes in the way it maintains security on campus. It was the first to incorporate local town police into its security structure; and the university later hired those policemen.
Interestingly, Yale’s security architecture extends into the town of New Haven. This is because a rise in crime in new haven ultimately translates into a rise in crime on campus. By helping to make the city safe, the campus’ safety profile also increases.
Sustainability On Campus
Yale is in the forefront in developing ways to make human habitations more sustainable. This means generating and managing power, reducing waste, developing architectural designs that need less power, developing building styles and systems that are more durable, and so on.
There are several buildings on campus that have various levels of sustainability. Even old buildings which are being rehabilitated now have higher levels of sustainability so as to make them more cost effective, and less straining to the environment.
Yale University is located at New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A. however, it is not technically a part of the town because it is a small city by its own right. Yale is not just a small city; it is a self-sustaining city. Yale is richer and more viable than New Haven. It should therefore be the town that is a part of Yale, and not the other way around.
