Cathedral of Learning

The Cathedral of Learning is a skyscraper in Oakland, Pittsburgh, rising 163 meters as a Gothic educational tower with 42 floors clad in Indiana limestone. The rooms spread across more than 2,000 spaces, with the Commons Room on the ground floor extending through four stories and designed with high ceilings and arches.

Construction began in 1926 after John Bowman commissioned architect Charles Klauder to design an educational building that would inspire Pittsburgh children to pursue higher learning. During World War II, the building provided accommodation and training facilities for about 1,000 members of the Army Air Corps.

The building houses 31 Nationality Rooms, each representing the architecture and craftsmanship of a different country, complete with furnishings and materials sourced from their places of origin. These classrooms still function as active teaching spaces today, while visitors can walk through between lectures and observe the details.

The Commons Room on the ground floor extends upward through four stories and functions as both a large study hall and event space for university activities. Visitors can enter the room to experience the atmosphere when no events are taking place.

During World War II, the building provided accommodation and training for about 1,000 members of the Army Air Corps. The Nationality Rooms were completed and furnished gradually in the years after the war, not all at once.

Location: Pittsburgh

Inception: 1926

Architects: Charles Klauder

Architectural style: Gothic Revival, Art Deco architecture

Floors above the ground: 42

Elevators: 12

Height: 163 m

Part of: Schenley Farms Historic District

Website: http://tour.pitt.edu/tour-categories/cathedral-of-learning

GPS coordinates: 40.44417,-79.95306

Latest update: December 12, 2025 23:06