Payne Whitney Gymnasium

Payne Whitney Gymnasium, designed by Architect John Russel Pope and completed in 1932, is Yale’s third athletic complex since the school’s founding. Viewed from across Tower Parkway, the massive structure has been known variously through the years as the “Cathedral of Sweat,” “The Temple of the Body,” or “Yale’s great winter playground.”(1) As one stands in front of the building’s grand entrance, one cannot help but be overwhelmed by its monumentality. While the lush elm trees soften the power of the stone, the rigid form of the structure, the narrow windows and large oak doors amplify its sheer size and reflect Yale's commitment to athletics and fitness as the largest building on campus. It has 30% more cubic space than Sterling Library, and is the second largest gym in the world by cubic feet.(1) The structure’s design is equally impressive. Architect Pope won the silver medal in architectural design at the 1932 Los Angeles Games for his structure.(2)

The building is a memorial to Payne Whitney, B.A. 1898, gifted by his wife and children.(1) The complex consists of a central tower, which is nine and a half stories tall, two five story wings that house the John J. Lee Amphitheater and the Robert J.H. Kiphuth Exhibition Swimming pool, and a brick and glass addition on the Lake Place side, the William K. Lanman, Jr. Center. Most of Yale’s Varsity teams have lockers and practice spaces in Payne Whitney. The facility also includes recreational spaces such as basketball courts, swimming pools and an indoor track, which are open to the University’s student, faculty and affiliated members.