The Trojan Shrine at the heart of USC

Tommy Trojan, officially known as the Trojan Shrine, is one of the most recognizable figures of school pride at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. The life-size bronze statue of a Trojan warrior stands in the center of campus and serves as a popular meeting spot, as well as a centerpiece for a number of campus events. It is the most popular unofficial mascot of the university.

Sculpted by Roger Noble Burnham, the statue was unveiled during the University's 50th Jubilee in 1930. Burnham used USC football players such as Russ Saunders, Ernie Pinckert, Henry Becker, Larry Stevens and John Ward as visual references for the sculpture. It cost $10,000 to build, with a $1 surcharge added onto season football tickets to help offset the cost. Inscribed on the base of the statue are the five attributes of the ideal Trojan: Faithful, Scholarly, Skillful, Courageous and Ambitious. On the reverse is a plaque bearing a quote by Virgil regarding the destined reign of Troy.

While many people identify Tommy Trojan as the symbol of the university, Traveler, a white Andalusian horse, is the official mascot. The campus also features a statue of a local dog named George Tirebiter, who served as the unofficial mascot before Traveler. To prevent vandalism by UCLA during the week of the annual USC-UCLA football game, university officials protect the statue while students gather for Save Tommy Night the night before the game. The Trojan Knights maintain an all-night vigil and the Department of Public Safety Surveillance Operations team monitors the statue with CCTV.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons