Liberty University Freedom Tower opens

The 17-story tower houses the Rawlings School of Divinity

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty University's Freedom Tower is finally open. The 17-story tower houses the Rawlings School of Divinity.  Liberty President Jerry Falwell says it took twice as long to build the tower because they had to build the tower first and come back to build the academic building surrounding it. 

School officials say the building is one of the few buildings in the country that has an elevator system specially designed to be used as an exit in case of an emergency because of its high speed. 

“It’s really not going to be a focal point of our campus but it will also be a testament to our heritage as a Christian university. It'll make a statement to everyone for years to come,” Falwell said. 

The building cost about $25 to $26 million.  A carillon of 25 bells also sits at the top of the tower.