We Are

THE LION SHRINE

Penn State’s Lion Shrine was dedicated on Oct. 24, 1942, during Homecoming Weekend. The 13-ton block of Indiana limestone was molded into the most recognizable symbol of Penn State. A gift of the Class of 1940, it rests in a natural setting of trees near Recreation Building. The Lion Shrine is the secondmost photographed landmark in the state of Pennsylvania.

Chosen by the student body in 1906, Penn State’s original athletic symbol was the mountain lion which roamed central Pennsylvania. Since Penn State is located in the Nittany Valley at the foot of Mount Nittany, the lion was designated as a Nittany Lion. In regional folklore, Nittany (or NitaNee) was a valorous Indian princess in whose honor the Great Spirit caused Mount Nittany to be formed.

107K STRONG

Penn State Football fans fill Beaver Stadium to the brim every fall, providing an electric and exciting atmosphere for the Nittany Lions each Saturday inside the nation’s second-largest venue. The University Park campus becomes the third-largest city in Pennsylvania on football game days.