The University of Pittsburgh, with its humble beginnings starting in 1787 as the Pittsburgh Academy eventually took its current name in 1908. In 1921, Chancellor John Bowman envisioned a "tall bulding", a beacon of education, to represent the city and university while beating the concern of overcrowding. The Chancellor said the following in regards to the building, which was met with opposition due to its height.
"The building was to be more than a schoolhouse; it was to be a symbol of the life that Pittsburgh through the years had wanted to live. It was to make visible something of the spirit that was in the hearts of pioneers as, long ago, they sat in their log cabins and thought by candlelight of the great city that would sometime spread out beyond their three rivers and that even they were starting to build."
-John Bowman
Dedicated in 1937, the 42 story Gothic structure is the tallest educational structure in the Western Hemisphere and second tallest university building in the world, Some floors served as housing and educational facilities for troops during World War II. Contained with in its stunning arches and limestone bricks are 40 floors of educational space, 29 Nationality Rooms and various other auditoriums, conference rooms, and offices that exemplify Pittsburgh's devotion to education and architecture. Producing students like Jonas Sulk, creator of the Polio Vaccine, Mark Cuban, Gene Kelly, Ron Paul, Larry Fitzgerald, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Dan Marino, Derelle Revis, Curtis Martin and several other Olympic athletes, Nobel Laureates and Nobel Prize winners and top leaders in their respective industries, the University of Pittsburgh, is most certainly a beacon of education much like its centerpiece the Cathedral of Learning.
Just steps away from the Cathedral of Learning is the Heinz Chapel, another Gothic structure dedicated by the founder of H.J Heinz, creator of the best ketchup in the world, intended for interdenominational religious services. Similar to the Cathedral of Learning, its vaulted ceilings and tall stained glass windows are a vision unrivaled in the region, which is why the chapel hosts around 1500 events a year.
Another structure just steps from the Cathedral of Learning is Soldiers and Sailors Hall and Memorial, the largest museum and memorial designated to honor members of all branches of the armed services in the country. Built in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it contains artifacts and mementos from wars throughout time a ballroom and a concert hall that is one of Bruce Springsteen's favorites to play in.
