Langdell Hall, Law library building at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Langdell Hall is a four-story limestone building with Ionic columns framing its main entrance, located on Harvard Law School's campus. It contains one of the world's largest academic law libraries, along with study areas and tiered classrooms distributed throughout the floors.
The southern wing was constructed in 1907 as the original section, with the northern and western wings completed in 1929. These expansions demonstrate how the school grew and adapted over two decades.
The entrance frieze bears the inscription 'Non Sub Homine Sed Sub Deo Et Lege,' expressing how the law school views justice as transcending human authority. This text shapes how visitors understand the building's deeper purpose.
The building is straightforward to navigate with clear corridors and signage directing visitors through the spaces. Coming during cooler months may require dressing warmly, as is typical with an older stone structure.
In the main lobby stands a statue of Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, created by his son William Wetmore Story, a renowned sculptor. This sculpture links family history with the building's identity.
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