Gonzaga University is a Jesuit Catholic university founded in 1887, occupying a handsome campus along the north bank of the Spokane River just east of downtown. The campus is pleasant for a walk, with mature trees, red-brick buildings, and river views. The Chapel of St. Aloysius is the most architecturally distinguished building on campus, its twin towers a landmark visible from the river path.
Gonzaga is best known nationally for its basketball program, which has become a perennial powerhouse and turns the city into an enthusiastic basketball town during March Madness. The campus is open to visitors; the university's connection to Bing Crosby, who graduated here in 1926, is marked by a statue and a small museum with memorabilia from the singer.