Architectural Digest Names Trinity’s Campus Among the Most Beautiful in America
Trinity College has once again been named by Architectural Digest as one of the most beautiful college campuses in America. This year’s unranked list includes 64 colleges that stand out for their architectural legacy and setting.
AD notes that Trinity’s Long Walk “comprises several early examples of Collegiate Gothic architecture by British designer William Burges, the first two buildings of which were constructed in 1878.” The listing also highlights the Main Quad and the Trinity Chapel, which was designed by Frohman, Robb, and Little, the same firm that designed the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
The introduction to Architectural Digest’s 2025 list said, “Many schools have stunning elements—like immaculate dining halls, otherworldly dorms, or jaw-dropping libraries—but the schools on the following list stun across the board. Like a well-styled outfit, from the entry arches to academic halls and manicured lawns, everything on these grounds works in harmony to create a place as striking as it is educational.”
Trinity’s most iconic structures were added to the National Register of Historic Places during the yearlong celebration of the College’s Bicentennial. In 2024, the National Park Service designated an 11.4-acre rectangular area anchored by the Long Walk and the Chapel as the Trinity College Long Walk Historic District with national importance.
The register is the nation’s official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation because of their significance in American life and is part of a federal program that supports public and private efforts to protect historic and archaeological assets.
“Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places is a profound acknowledgment of the enduring significance of our past and the importance of Trinity’s architecture to American history and society today,” said Trinity President Joanne Berger-Sweeney. “This serves as another example of how we can celebrate our College’s identity and ensure that future generations of Bantams can connect with the richness of our proud history.”
Jenny Scofield, Connecticut’s deputy state historic preservation officer, added, “Trinity’s Long Walk represents a precedent-setting design, not only for its collection of Gothic Revival-style craftsmanship, but also for its innovation in campus planning, through the original vision of a series of quadrangles and international collaboration.”
