The Campanile, whose official designation is
Sather Tower, is one of the trademark symbols of
Cal, The
University of California,
Berkeley. Built as a gift to the University by the same
Jane K. Sather who erected
Sather Gate, another one of
Berkeley's campus
landmarks, the Campanile was designed by
John Galen Howard after the Campanile de
San Marco in
Venice, Italy. The tower was completed in 1914, and now towers over the rest of the
Berkeley skyline at a height of 301 feet.
The tower features a 61-bell carillon, which is played Monday through Saturday at noon and again at 6 pm. However, during final exam periods, the bells are silent after playing "They're Hanging Danny Deever in the Morning" at noon on the Friday before the start of finals. An elevator runs from the ground floor to the observation deck between 10 am and 4 pm; the view from the Campanile out to the San Francisco Bay is spectacular on days when low-lying clouds and fog are minimal. Admission is currently $1 for the general public.
It is rumored that the former Palaentology department still stores its fossils and bones in the Campanile. The Campanile is located in front of Le Conte Hall and is visble from almost every point on campus.