The Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh is a Sight to Behold both Inside and Outside

The Cathedral of Learning is a 42-story Gothic Revival building located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. At 535 feet tall, this structure is the largest educational structure in the Western Hemisphere and the second-tallest university building in the world.

The Cathedral of Learning was proposed in 1921 by John Gabbert Bowman, the tenth chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh. He envisioned a tall building that would not only alleviate the crowding in the World War I-era buildings that lined the campus but also one that would be a "dramatic symbol of education'' for the city of Pittsburgh. Bowman chose a 14-acre plot of land called Frick Acres for the site of the Cathedral of Learning and hired renowned Gothic Revival architect, Charles Klauder of Philadelphia, to come up with a novel design. Klauder wanted to combine the modern ideals of a skyscraper with the traditions of Gothic design. Bowman loved the design but many locals were opposed. Because of that, he ordered that the construction of the walls start at the top so the project couldn't be cancelled. For just 10 cents, local school children could buy a brick in the much-anticipated structure and many funds were raised in that manner. Building began in 1926 and was completed in 1937.

A steel frame overlaid with Indiana limestone, the Cathedral of Learning includes 2,000 rooms and more than 2,500 windows. The first 36 floors are used primarily for educational purposes and include a massive lobby, also known as the Commons Room, which features a general study area and plenty of space for special events. The ceilings of the Commons Room are 52 feet tall and the space covers more than 1 half-acre.

Of particular note are the 27 Nationality Rooms located inside the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning. Located on the first and third floors, each of these rooms was designed to celebrate a culture that had an influence of Pittsburgh's growth. People of each of the celebrated nationalities would be responsible for designing their room and materials, labor, and design were provided by each committee. The nationalities represented include African, Armenian, Austrian, Chinese, Czechoslovakian, English, Early American (display room only), French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indian, Irish, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Scottish, Swedish, Syrian-Lebanese (display room), Ukrainian, Welsh, and Yugoslavian. Other nationality rooms are currently being planned.

In addition to the Nationality Rooms, the Cathedral of Learning also includes the Croghan-Schenley Ballroom, two rooms that were originally part of Croghan's early 19th century mansion; the Mulert Memorial Room with its rich woods and ionic columns; the Darlington Memorial Library, with a collection that focuses on American history and literature including rare maps and atlases; the Braun Room, designed specifically as a place for women of the university to meet; and the Studio Theater, a black box-style theater that is used for student-directed productions, play readings, and the popular Friday Night Improvs, initiated by graduate students more than 20 years ago.

Recently, much of the exterior stonework of the Cathedral of Learning has been restored and the university is attempting to secure enough money to install central air conditioning in the building, which now contains some 200 window unit air conditioners.