Campus Life

      Nittany Lion Shrine now reopened

      Curtis McCartney, a stone sculptor with McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory, examines the recently repaired ear at the Nittany Lion Shrine on the morning of May 26. The ear was damaged due to an act of vandalism on May 7. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

      UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Nittany Lion Shrine at University Park has reopened, effective today (May 27). Due to an act of vandalism earlier this month, the Shrine was closed while undergoing the necessary repairs to reattach the broken left ear and remove graffiti. 

      The popular Nittany Lion Shrine was created by sculptor Heinz Warneke out of a 13-ton block of Indiana limestone and was a gift of the class of 1940.     

      Over the past two years, significant improvements have been made to the Nittany Lion Shrine, including conservation repairs to the right ear and some of the claws, as well as visitor improvements such as a new high-traffic walkway and platform with exposed aggregate concrete.

      Last Updated May 27, 2022

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