<P> Located in Madison , about a mile from the state capitol , the main campus of the university is situated partially on the isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona . The main campus comprises 933 acres ( 378 ha ) of land , while the entire campus , including research stations throughout the state , is over 10,600 acres ( 4,290 ha ) in area . The central campus is on an urban layout mostly coinciding with the city of Madison 's street grid , exceptions being the suburban University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics , and the Department of Psychiatry & Clinics in the West Side research park . The University of Wisconsin -- Madison Arboretum , a demonstration area for native ecosystems , is located on the west side of Madison . The main campus includes many buildings designed or supervised by architects J.T.W. Jennings and Arthur Peabody . The hub of campus life is the Memorial Union . In 2011 , Travel + Leisure listed the Madison campus as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States . </P>
where is the university of wisconsin madison located
partially on the isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona