For today’s Saturday Lecture series, I would like continue with some architecture and introduce our readers to the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. I spent many, many hours in that building nose in the books, of course. It is still one of my favorite places to visit when I am in town. Without a doubt the single best place to take a class is in the Honor’s College which is located on the 36th floor of the Cathedral. The view is breathtaking and would often get in the way of paying attention to the lecture!
So, grab you lecture coffee and take a tour of a beautiful building. Be sure to check the links at the bottom of the page for pictures that will add to the Travel Chanel video below.
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The Cathedral of Learning, a historic landmark, is the second-tallest education building in the world—42 stories and 535 feet tall. It is also the geographic and traditional heart of the campus.
Begun by Chancellor John Bowman in 1926 and dedicated in 1937, the building was realized with the help of contributions from men, women, and children throughout the region and the world. During the peak of the Depression, when funding for the project became especially challenging, school children were encouraged to contribute a dime to “buy a brick.”
In addition to the magnificent three-story “Commons Room” at ground level, the Cathedral of Learning also contains classrooms (including the internationally renowned Nationality Classrooms), the University’s administrative offices, libraries, a computer center, a restaurant, and offices and classrooms for many liberal arts departments.
Trivia tidbit: The Cathedral of Learning has 2,529 windows.
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From the Travel Chanel:
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A Slide Show from the Post Gazette
The Nationality Rooms interactive website.
Wiki has an excellent entry on the Cathedral
I certainly hope you enjoyed this virtual visit to my Alma Mater’s most famous building.
Tags: architecture, saturday lecture series, university of pittsburgh
