"What do you think of when you hear 'The University of Northern Iowa'?"  This question could be answered in many ways by many different people, however, the most common answer would most likely be the UNI Campanile.  When the campanile was first erected in 1926, it was part of a quickly growing campus that promoted higher education and excellence in the field of teaching. UNI, originally called the Iowa State Normal School, was founded in 1876 and quite small in comparison to today's campus. Much of its growth occurred during the first fifty years. Resident and instruction halls were built to increase the effectiveness of the learning experience.  The campanile, however, was different and had no real correlation with the purpose of UNI as an educational institution. The tradition behind the campanile goes back hundreds of years, originating in early Europe, and evolving through the present day.