Cathedral of Learning: Pittsburgh's 52-Story Gothic Academic Skyscraper Turns 100

A century ago, construction commenced on the Cathedral of Learning, a neo-Gothic tower located at the University of Pittsburgh. In November 1924, John G. Bowman, the university's tenth chancellor, presented the project at the University Club. The design envisioned a 52-story academic skyscraper in Oakland, a cultural center. The site was purchased by banker Andrew W. Mellon, and architect Charles Zeller Klauder was responsible for its design. Finished in 1937, it became the tallest educational building and still holds that title in the Western Hemisphere. Although the stock market crash reduced its height to 42 stories, it is now Pittsburgh's eighth-tallest structure, standing prominently on a grassy area after once being tarnished by smog.