Georgetown University


Georgetown is one of the nation's top universities, with a student body that's equally hard-working and hard-partying. Founded in 1789, it was America’s first Roman Catholic university. Notable Hoya (derived from the Latin hoya saxa, ‘what rocks’) alumni include Bill Clinton, as well as many international royals and heads of state. Near the campus' east gate, medieval-looking Healy Hall impresses with its tall, Hogwarts-esque clock tower. Pretty Dalghren Chapel and its quiet courtyard hide behind it.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Healy Hall

0.05 MILES

Near the Georgetown University campus' east gate, medieval-looking Healy Hall impresses with its tall, Hogwarts-esque clock tower.

2. Dalghren Chapel

0.08 MILES

A pretty little refuge with a quiet courtyard on Georgetown University's campus.

3. Exorcist Stairs

0.16 MILES

The steep set of stairs dropping down to M St is a popular track for joggers, but more famously it's the spot where demonically possessed Father Karras…

4. Tudor Place

0.56 MILES

This 1816 neoclassical mansion was owned by Thomas Peter and Martha Custis Peter, the granddaughter of Martha Washington, and lived in by six generations…

5. Dumbarton Oaks

0.62 MILES

The mansion's 27 acres of enchanting formal gardens are straight out of a storybook. The springtime blooms – including heaps of cherry blossoms – are…

6. Dumbarton Oaks Park

0.65 MILES

Next door to Dumbarton Oaks garden, Dumbarton Oaks Park was once part of the estate but is now a public woodland beloved by joggers and dog walkers…

7. Old Stone House

0.65 MILES

Built in 1766 in what was then the British colony of Maryland, the capital's oldest surviving building has been a tavern, a brothel and a boardinghouse …

8. Georgetown Waterfront Park

0.66 MILES

This park is a favorite with couples on first dates, families on an evening stroll and power players showing off their yachts. Benches dot the way, where…