COMMON ROOM

Standing 52 feet high and covering nearly half an acre, the Commons Room in the Cathedral of Learning is a grand Gothic-style hall perfect for study, reflection, and events. This impressive space, built without steel supports in its arches, is an authentic example of Gothic architecture and feels like something out of Hogwarts.

It also was a favorite study spot for

Natalie, Class of 2017, and her sister Kateri, Class of 2010.

NATIONALITY ROOMS

The University of Pittsburgh’s Nationality Rooms are gifts from the ethnic communities that helped shape the city. These 31 rooms celebrate the cultural heritage of these communities and were planned and built with their support.

The concept for the Nationality Rooms began in 1926 with the construction of the Cathedral of Learning. The first 19 rooms were completed between 1938 and 1957, while the remaining 12, including some on the third floor, were added after 1987.

Each room is designed to reflect cultural elements from before the signing of the American Constitution and the founding of the University in 1787. The rooms are carefully crafted to avoid political and religious symbols and are designed by international architects and artists. They serve as functional classrooms and inspire students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike.

*Both are usually open to the public, free to walk through without a scheduled tour.*

The log cabin near the Cathedral of Learning represents Pitt's beginnings as a frontier academy. Believed to have been built in the 1820s or 1830s, the cabin was carefully reconstructed on campus for the University’s bicentennial celebration in 1987.

Forbes Field, built in 1909, once served as the home for the Pittsburgh Pirates (winning the 1909 & 1960 World Series there), Pittsburgh Steelers, Homestead Grays, and Pitt Panthers. Although the stadium was torn down in 1972, remnants of its history remain. Notably, if you visit Posvar Hall on the ground floor, you can see the original home plate from the field’s last game, as a tribute to its rich legacy.

Though dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago, Pittsburgh still has a dino presence. In the summer of 2003, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History placed 100 colorful dinosaur statues around the city. While some have traveled, many remain in Pittsburgh.

You can explore these statues on a Dino Statue Driving Tour, which takes about two hours and includes 15 dinosaurs. Among them, Seymour Sparklesaurus “Sparky,” Spectrasaurus, Alphabetosaurus, and Dippy are all within walking distance of Heinz Chapel. The statues were auctioned for charity and may be displayed publicly or privately. Try to find as many as you can!

The first Primanti's opened in Pittsburgh's Strip District (not too far from Nicholas' maternal grandfather's produce yard which was located in the terminal building) and has since become a cultural icon in the region. Known for its distinctive sandwiches, the restaurant stacks grilled meat (Capicola for Natalie and The Pitts-burger for Nicholas), melted cheese, oil and vinegar-based coleslaw, tomato slices, and French fries between two thick slices of Italian bread

(also add the egg for 69¢... just trust us).