The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning is celebrating a major milestone this weekend: 100 years since ground was broken for the iconic Oakland landmark.
Construction on theCathedral of Learningbegan on Sept 24, 1926, after then-Chancellor John G. Bowman envisioned a towering academic building that would symbolize both the university and the city of Pittsburgh. Designed by architect Charles Zeller Klauder, the Gothic Revival skyscraper rises 42 stories and 535 feet above Oakland.
When it opened, it was the tallest academic building in the world. Today, it remains the tallest university building in the United States and one of Pittsburgh's most recognizable landmarks.
The cathedral's history is deeply tied to the Pittsburgh community.
During construction, Pitt launched a fundraising campaign that encouraged nearly 97,000 schoolchildren to donate dimes to the project, helping transform the ambitious vision into reality.
Beyond its dramatic architecture, the building is home to the Cathedral's famous Nationality Rooms, which honor the ethnic and immigrant communities that helped shape Pittsburgh. What began with 18 rooms has grown to 31 unique classrooms celebrating cultures from around the world.
To commemorate the centennial, Pittis hosting a series of free public events this weekend. A cinematic light and sound show was projected onto the Cathedral of Learning on Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26. The show will return Sunday night from 9 to 9:15 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 27, the university will also host "Cathy-Palooza" from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Cathedral Lawn near Heinz Chapel, featuring family-friendly activities, Nationality Room tours, birthday cake and opportunities to learn more about the building's century-long legacy.
A full schedule of centennial events is available on Pitt's Cathedral 100 website.
This article by Gabby Sartori was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pitt's Cathedral of Learning celebrates 100 years with weekend festivities
