The Cathedral of Learning

By Sydni Canney

August 2022

Standing tall, 535 feet above the city of Oakland, the Cathedral of Learning is a conspicuous landmark of the city. Located at 4200 Fifth Ave, the Cathedral, houses classrooms, theaters, computer labs, and several departments of the University of Pittsburgh. When more classrooms were needed for an influx of students after WWI, and knowing that the area for the new building was limited, the Cathedral was commissioned in 1921 by the University of Pittsburgh’s Chancellor, John G. Bowman, taking advantage of the surplus of vertical area available. The construction of the Cathedral took approximately a decade and with a hefty price tag, students and local Pittsburghers were encouraged to donate any sum affordable to them, and those who did even received a commemoratory certificate from the University of Pittsburgh.

Pitt Weekly Student Newspaper announcement
“Pitt Weekly Student Newspaper,” University of Pittsburgh. The Cathedral of Pittsburgh is announced to the student body.

Beyond the gothic-style of the Cathedral, another unique feature of the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning is that you will not only find the typical, barren classrooms most often seen in standard universities. Of the over two thousand rooms inside the Cathedral, on the first and third floors, there are thirty-one nationality rooms, classrooms inspired by local, international cultures and communities. Each of the Nationality Rooms embodies a specific culture or ethnic group, funded through sponsorships, the rooms are intricately designed predating the signing of the American Constitution and when the University of Pittsburgh was founded, in the year 1787.

Each of the rooms designed were entirely works of celebration and commemoration, by the ethnic group’s sponsors; the acquisition of materials, construction and labor were a feat taken on mainly by foreign governments that offered architectural assistance and supplies. Just a few of the Nationality rooms that can be found within the Cathedral include the Austrian Room, the Early American Room, the French Room, the Hungarian Room and the Israel Heritage Room. The completion of each of the thirty-one rooms was no small task as some of the rooms took over three years to complete entirely and afterwards a celebratory ceremony would be held for each room.

Aside from the Cathedral of Learning’s remarkable exterior design and the craftsmanship of its thirty-one Nationality rooms, as mentioned earlier, it is also a very functional part of the University of Pittsburgh. Supplying a place of learning to over thirty-three thousand students, the Cathedral is not only a place of study, education, administration, and extracurricular activities but a cherished landmark in the city of Oakland. The Cathedral of Learning is not only open to students, staff, and faculty, but it is also open to visitors as the University offers frequent tours.

View of The Cathedral of Learning first floor from above
“Inside the Cathedral of Learning,” Sydni Canney. An image from the third floor of the Cathedral of Learning.

Featured Image

“Completed Cathedral of Learning,” Unknown. A completed Cathedral of Learning as seen from Hotel Schenley.

Further Reading

[MLA: [Canney, Sydni]. “[Pitt in the making: Original Cathedral plan was 10 stories higher].” ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, [(16) (Dec) (2021)], http://utimes.pitt.edu/news/pitt-making-original

[MLA: [Canney, Sydni]. “[The Cathedral of Learning].” ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, [(16) (Dec) (2021)], https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-cathedral-of-learning-university-of-pittsburgh-library-system/HwXhwg505_592A?hl=en

[MLA: [Canney, Sydni]. “[Cathedral of Learning].” ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, [(20) (Jul) (2022)], https://www.tour.pitt.edu/tour/cathedral-learning

[MLA: [Canney, Sydni]. “[Exploring the Nationality Rooms at the Cathedral of Learning].” ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, [(11) (Jul) (2022)], http://discovertheburgh.com/nationality-rooms-at-the-cathedral-of-learning/

[MLA: [Canney, Sydni]. “[The Nationality Rooms].” ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, [(20) (Jul) (2022)], https://www.nationalityrooms.pitt.edu/rooms

[MLA: [Canney, Sydni]. “[Cathedral of Learning].” ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, [(20) (Jul) (2022)], https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/attractions/cathedral-of-learning/a/poi-sig/410722/362107

How to Cite

MLA: Canney, Sydni. “The Cathedral of Learning.” ReligYinz: Mapping Religions Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, 23 Sept. 2022, https://religyinz.pitt.edu/the-cathedral-of-learning/

APA: Canney, S. (2022, September 23). The Cathedral of Learning. ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh. https://religyinz.pitt.edu/the-cathedral-of-learning/

Chicago: Canney, Sydni. “The Cathedral of Learning.” ReligYinz: Mapping Religious Pittsburgh. University of Pittsburgh, September 23, 2022. https://religyinz.pitt.edu/the-cathedral-of-learning/