Many individuals have visited the University of Pittsburgh and seen the Cathedral of Learning that Towers over the campus. The Cathedral is a neo-gothic architectural masterpiece. There are 29 rooms inside, each one themed for a different country. Most of the 29 rooms in the cathedral are still used as classrooms.
The Cathedral was dedicated as part of the university in 1937 to fix issues of overcrowding. The issue of overcrowding was addressed by building vertically instead of continuing to take up more land. One of the outstanding features was the standard room that rises over three stories. Upon completion, the Cathedral was Pittsburgh’s tallest building. Today it is still the tallest building for any university in the Western Hemisphere.
The Cathedral of Learning is 42 stories tall. The building is found on Fifth Avenue and Forbes Avenue. It is along Bigelow Boulevard. Chancellor John G. Bowman, the Chancellor for the University, and released plans to build a 52-story skyscraper in 1924. In 1926, construction began. IN 1931, the first class was held inside the building, and the building was finished by 1934. The building only made it to 42 stories, never reaching its 52-story goal. There are over 2,000 rooms total inside the cathedral of learning. However, only the first 36 floors of the building are used for education. The remaining six levels are for mechanical purposes. The hall is a real Gothic Architecture. The hall is about half an acre in size and goes upward for four stories Around the perimeter of the main floor; the nationality rooms can be found. There are also several other rooms inside the Cathedral that are architecturally significant. These rooms are the Humanities Center, Mullet Memorial Room, Studio Theatre, Babcock Room, Croghan-Schenley Ballroom, Braun Room, Frick Auditorium, McCarl Center, and the University Honors College. The Cathedral of Learning was named as a historic landmark in 1973.
The head of the university had the idea to involve the community as much as he could while the Cathedral was under construction. Because of this, he decided to implement the Nationality Rooms Program. His idea was to allow all the nationalities that had a part in the growth of the town to have their room in the cathedral. He let them decorate the rooms using styles that were native to their regions. Each country, however, had to cover the cost of décor and come up with the design.
Some of the nationalities that entered could receive funding for their rooms from their governments. Some were even able to obtain different artifacts and décor from their governments. By the time it was finished, 29 rooms were created by groups representing 29 different nationalities.
The nationality rooms are still used by the university as classrooms. However, none of the rooms have been changed since the day they were created. It gives each room in the Cathedral of Learning a traditional décor that perfectly matched the gothic architectural design.
See directions here:
Cathedral of Learning
4200 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
Head southwest on Fifth Ave toward Lytton Ave
0.8 mi
Use the left 2 lanes to turn slightly left to stay on Fifth Ave
0.5 mi
Turn left onto Birmingham Bridge
0.7 mi
Use any lane to turn left onto E Carson St
3.5 mi
Keep right at the fork, follow signs for PA-885 S/Mifflin Rd and merge onto PA-885 S
0.4 mi
Take the exit toward Streets Run Road
0.2 mi
Merge onto Baldwin Rd
1.3 mi
Continue onto Streets Run Rd (!Destination will be on the left)
1.3 mi
Kwiatkowski Plumbing
1338 Streets Run Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA