Historic places in Pittsburgh

Historic places in Pittsburgh

1. SeeDowntown

   200 Block of Fort Pitt Blvd

   Facing the Monongahela River, this area was once a major commercial hub due to its proximity to the now long-defunct Monongahela Wharf. Along the 200 block of Fort Pitt Blvd is a surviving fragment of the commercial architecture of the late 19th century which defined this neighborhood. Cast-iron ornamental elements and Queen Anne-style structures reflect the architectural tastes of the time.

2. SeeNorth Side

   Allegheny Commons

   Pittsburgh's oldest park, the commons is a historic and very lovely park with lush green lawns, sculptures, and a small lake among its many shady trees.

   6AM-11PM daily·Free

3. SeeDowntown

   Allegheny County Courthouse

   A gorgeous stone building built in 1884 that serves as the seat of the Allegheny County government. You can walk into the lovely courtyard with its fountain, overshadowed by the building's prominent tower. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courthouses in the nation.

4. SeeNorth Side

   Allegheny Observatory

   Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the University of Pittsburgh's Neoclassical observatory, completed in 1912, was home to several historically significant astronomers such as Samuel Langley and John Brashear. The observatory is still actively engaged in conducting astronomical research.

   Free tours of the observatory are offered from April through the end of October with an advanced reservation

5. SeeOakland

   Alumni Hall

   Freely accessible to the public, Alumni Hall is a restored former Masonic Greek Revival temple completed by Benno Janssen in 1915. The facility contains many of its original elements, the University's Legacy Gallery of electronic kiosks in its lobby, a gallery of portraits of the university chancellors stretching back 200 years on the Connolly Ballroom's balcony, and an exhibit of “365 Views of the Cathedral of Learning” by renowned Spanish artist Felix de la Concha on the 7th floor.

6. DoDowntown

   Benedum Center

   A large and very historic theater, built in 1927 and faithfully restored. The Benedum is home to the Pittsburgh Opera, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

7. DoDowntown

   Byham Theater

   A grand historic theater with many lavish decorations, the Byham plays host to a variety of events.

8. SeeOakland

   Cathedral of Learning

   The 42-story Charles Klauder designed Gothic Revival skyscraper, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as the symbolic and physical heart of the University of Pittsburgh. Construction began in 1926 and took a decade to complete. Visible from almost anywhere in Pittsburgh, it is the tallest school building in the Western hemisphere, and has been described as the "culmination" of Late Gothic Revival architecture. While impressive on the outside, it can be even more spectacular on the inside. On the first and third floors, surrounding its immense Gothic-style Commons Room, are the 31 Nationality Rooms. These working classrooms are each designed, constructed, and decorated in the characteristic style of 29 different cultures which represent the diverse population of Pittsburgh. A self-guided tour of the Nationality Rooms is available for a small fee ($4 for adults, $2 for youth; +1 412 624-6000, M-Sa 9 AM-4 PM (last tour 2:30 PM), Su 11 AM-4 PM (last tour 2:30 PM), audiotape tours only on weekends), while guided tours can be reserved in advance that give in-depth explanations of each room and can allow access to areas normally inaccessible to the public, like the historic Croghan-Schenley Ballroom and Early American Room. The Nationality Rooms on the 3rd floor are sometimes freely open to explore, depending on time and class schedule. Much of the upper floors of the Cathedral are composed of offices and other university facilities, however a trip to the Honors College on the 35th and 36th floors, accessible by most of the elevators, provides marvelous views of the city.

   Entry is free

9. SeeDowntown

   Fort Pitt Block House

   A former redoubt - a structure that extends the line of fire beyond the walls of a fort - the Fort Pitt Block House is the only extant relic of Fort Pitt and is the oldest European-built structure west of the Allegheny Mountains. It has functioned as a museum of the French & Indian War era since 1894 and has a small gift shop.

   Wed-Sun 10:30AM-4:30PM (Fri-Sun only during the winter)·Free

10. SeeDowntown

    Fort Pitt Museum

    Housed in a recreated bastion above the remains of one of Fort Pitt's structures, the museum explains some of the history of the forts on the Point, from the French and Indian War to the Whiskey Rebellion after the American Revolution. While parts of the museum may seem a bit bare, some of the exhibits and artifacts are very interesting and give a good insight into the history of the site.

    Daily 10AM-5PM·$10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 students/youth, 5 and under free, $2 discount for military. Bring receipt to Heinz History Museum on the same day or next day for a discount

11. SeeOakland

    Frick Art & Historical Center

    A complex of museums and historic buildings including: Clayton (the home of industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick), the Frick Art Museum, the Car and Carriage Museum, and the Greenhouse.

    Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM·The grounds, museums, and greenhouse are free, tours of Clayton cost $12 adults, $10 seniors, $6 children

12. SeeOakland

    Frick Park

    A wonderful wooded park (and Pittsburgh's largest) with a network of trails ideal for walking the dog or bicycling. There are several entrances to the park, the main ones being at Reynolds St and Homewood Ave (across the street from the Frick Art & Historical Center) at the north end of the park, Beechwood Blvd just south of Forbes Ave and at Nicholson St on the west side of the park, and at Forbes and Braddock Avenues on the east side of the park. From any of the entrances you'll head down shady, wooded slopes to a small valley which runs south to the Nine Mile Run Watershed, where a small stream flows into the Monongahela River. The, off of Beechwood Blvd just south of Forbes Avenue, hosts nature programs for children and has a small pond and a woodland area for wildlife viewing. There is also a pair of excellent playgrounds in the park, one at Beechwood Blvd and Nicholson St and the other at Forbes and Braddock Avenues, along with softball fields and tennis courts.

13. SeeOakland

    Heinz Memorial Chapel

    Located on the grounds of the Cathedral of Learning, this chapel was built with funds left to the school by H.J. Heinz (of ketchup fame). The French Gothic Revival nondenominational chapel features 23 amazing stained-glass windows by Charles J. Connick, the largest single collection of his work. The windows total approximately 4,000 square feet (370 m2) and contain nearly 250,000 pieces of glass with 391 identifiable people from religion, history, science and the humanities, and the transept windows are reputedly the world's tallest such windows. Free tours may allow one sample the acoustics of the 3,770 pipe organ, and concerts and recitals are typically held on Sundays. See the website for calendar.

    Mon-Thu 8:30 AM-5 PM, Fri 8:30 AM-3:15 PM, Sat weddings scheduled, Sun noon-5PM·Free

14. BuyOakland

    Nationality Rooms Gift Center

    A selection of gift items imported from the countries represented in the Nationality Rooms of the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning. The inventory constantly changes based on availability and includes seasonal merchandise.

    Mon-Sat 9AM-4PM, Sun 11AM-4PM

15. EatDowntown

    Original Oyster House

    This is a "must do" if you like seafood and historical places. Go back in time while eating the best fish sandwich you'd ever want to eat. Wash it down with creamy buttermilk or a beer. Of course, there are oysters, lightly breaded, or their specialty oysters which are sort of like a fritter. Other seafood dishes and foods are available and all delicious.

16. SeeOakland

    Salk Hall

    Now the home of the schools of pharmacy and dental medicine, this Art Deco building on the upper campus was home to Jonas Salk's lab which produced the world's first polio vaccine, considered to be one of the most significant accomplishments in medical history.

17. SeeOakland

    Schenley High School

    A historic high school built in 1916 and noted for its unique triangular shape. The school is a on the National Registry of Historic Places and was the first school in the United States to cost more than a million dollars to construct.

18. SeeStrip District-Lawrenceville

    Senator John Heinz History Center

    An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania. Featuring 6 floors of permanent and changing exhibitions, this museum gives a very detailed look at the past 250 years in Western Pennsylvania, with displays on Pittsburgh-area innovations, people, and industries. Notable exhibits include artifacts from the French & Indian War, a hall dedicated to the Heinz company, a room full of old vehicles, and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum - a two-story exhibit dedicated to a wide variety of Pittsburgh-area sport legends.

    10AM-5PM daily·$20 adults, $18 seniors/military, $11 students, children 17 and under free; admission is good for two days

19. SeeOakland

    Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum

    Housed in a historic Beaux-Arts temple inspired by the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the museum explores the evolution of equipment and technology as well as the effects that military conflicts have had on society, honoring and educating about the sacrifices made during wartime.

    Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM·$10 adults, $5 seniors/children, active military/veterans/children 5 and under free; family of military serving in a current conflict free

20. SeeSouth Side

    South Side Riverfront Park

    Picnic area, public boat launch, canoe launch, and a riverfront trail. The riverfront trail runs from the Duquesne Incline along the Monongahela River to about Homestead to the east. Along the trail are informative signs about Pittsburgh history and industrial artifacts from Pittsburgh's industrial heyday on display.

21. SeeDowntown

    Union Trust Building

    A gorgeous Flemish-Gothic structure built in 1916 by Henry Clay Frick, the structure is decorated with a steep mansard roof, terra cotta dormers, and two chapel-like towers. The church-like appearance of the structure owes to the previous use of the land, a nineteenth century catholic cathedral.

22. SeeOakland

    Warhola House

    This is the home where Andy Warhol lived for 15 years with his family, and where he developed much of his interest in the art that would later make him famous. The house was purchased by the Warhola Family in 2005 after decades of ownership by various other tenants. Since its purchase, it has undergone continuous restoration in order to preserve it as a historic site.

23. SeeOakland

    William Pitt Union

    Built as the Schenley Hotel in 1898, this historic beaux-arts building that was Pittsburgh's premier luxury hotel in its day. As a hotel, it hosted many dignitaries including four Presidents of the United States, a slew of Hollywood celebrities such as Lillian Russell and Katharine Hepburn, along with many of the visiting baseball teams that played across the street at Forbes Field. The turn-of-the-century grandeur of the main floor lobbies and ballrooms have been restored by the university and can be freely accessed by the public. The Millennium Panther statue outside the building serves as a popular photo spot.

24. BuyOakland Not mapped

    Pitt Paraphernalia

    As with any college or university, check out the university's and, near the Cathedral of Learning for t-shirts, hoodies, magnets, and other souvenirs. The Pitt Shop is well known for $2.99 Pitt t-shirts while the Bookstore prides itself as being one of the largest independent book stores in the city. On the upper campus, near the medical center, a different selection of merchandise can also be obtained at the Pittsburgh Panthers Team Store inside the lobby of the Petersen Events Center. The Team Store is the only place you'll find retro "Script Pitt" merchandise.

25. BuyDowntown Not mapped

    Target

    A scaled-down version of the popular big-box retailer, which opened on the ground floor of the historic flagship Kaufmann's department store building in 2022. The ornate gold clock outside on the corner of 5th and Smithfield, forever known as the "Kaufmann's Clock," remains a popular meeting spot.

    Mon-Fr 7AM-7PM, Sat 8AM-9PM, Sun 8AM-8PM

26. DoOakland Not mapped

    University of Pittsburgh Stages

    Throughout the year, "Pitt Stages" performs various productions and student laboratories ranging from classic revivals to cutting-edge contemporary pieces. Venues include the historic theaters located in the Stephen Foster Memorial, the department's primary facility, to the black-box Studio Theatre located in the basement of the Cathedral of Learning.

    Mon–Fri noon–5PM and 1 hr prior to performance

27. SeeOakland

    Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History

    Museum of Art. Museum of Natural History.

    Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat 10AM-5PM, Thu 10AM-8PM, Sun noon-5PM (closed Tue Labor Day-Memorial Day)·$25 adults, $20 seniors, $15 students/children/teens, children under 3 free (admission includes entry to both museums); 1/2 price after 15h

28. EatNorth Side

    Max's Allegheny Tavern

    A restaurant serving German food with a long history.

    Mon-Thu 11AM-11PM, Fri Sat 11AM-midnight, Sun 9:30AM-10PM·$20-30 (dinner)

29. SeeDowntown

    Trinity Cathedral

    Intricately decorated.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Pittsburgh (CC BY-SA 4.0).