Three nearby colleges make the list of most beautiful campuses in the South

Covenant College sets along the western facing bluff of Lookout Mountain.
Covenant College sets along the western facing bluff of Lookout Mountain.
photo Studentst walk through the the University of the South campus in Sewanee, Tennessee.
photo Covenant College sets along the western facing bluff of Lookout Mountain.

Three of the most beautiful college campuses in the South are in the tri-state area, according to a new list from Best Colleges Online.

Sewanee: The University of the South, Covenant College and Berry College all ranked highly on the list of 30 schools. The schools were ranked based on points awarded on four criteria: awards and recognition (accolades such as National Register of Historic Places designation), student enjoyment (features that can be appreciated visually by both students and visitors), number of notable features, and "other" (attributes such as historical significance and environmental friendliness).

Ranking

* 2. Sewanee: The University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn. * 3. Berry College, Rome, Ga. * 8. Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Ga.

Sewanee ranked second, recognized for its Gothic-style architecture and number of notable buildings, including All Saints' Chapel, whose tower and rose window were modeled after the University Church in Oxford, England, and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, respectively. Sewanee was also noted for its location, situated on 13,000 acres overlooking the Tennessee Valley.

"It's always nice to have our beautiful campus recognized," Laurie Saxton, director of media relations for Sewanee, said.

Saxton said that, besides landmarks like All Saints' Chapel, the recognition is due to the school's seamless blending of new and old architecture as well as the accessibility to woods, valleys and waterfalls offered by its 20-mile "Perimeter Trail."

photo Berry College in Rome, Ga., has web cameras trained on a pair of nesting eagles.

Covenant College, which took the eighth spot on the list, was noted for the natural beauty its location atop Lookout Mountain in Dade County, Ga., offers students and visitors. The commendation said the school's landscaping and architecture prominently feature the institution's surroundings, with a "wealth of windows to take advantage of the mountain-top view of seven states."

Berry College, about 70 miles south of Chattanooga near Rome, Ga., ranked third. The school was recognized for being "the largest contiguous college campus in the world," and for the fact that much of its 27,000-acre campus is made up of "fields, lakes, forests and mountains through which walking-, bike-, foot- and horse-trails weave." In addition to deer and other wildlife, Berry's campus has served as a nesting ground for bald eagles, and the college has a live "nest cam" viewable online.

Contact Will Healey at whealey@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6731.

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