Cathedral Of Learning

The Cathedral of Learning located in the center of the University of Pittsburgh campus. Commissioned in 1921 and completed in 1934, The Cathedral is a 42-story, 535-foot-tall gothic revival skyscraper. It is the second-tallest educational building in the world after Moscow’s Main Building. The interior of the cathedral (controversially, recent students call it Cathy) consists of:

• classrooms
• common areas
• a theater
• print shop
• a food court
• computer labs
• administrative and academic offices
• and libraries.

The Cathedral of Learning also boasts the internationally renowned Nationality Classrooms. There are 29 Nationality Rooms, and each room represents a different country from around the world. Each room also represents a specific period as far back as the first or second century but not prior to 1787, which is the founding year of the university.

The most notable area in the Cathedral is the 1^st floor Commons Room. The Room is 52 feet tall (4 stories high) and almost half an acre. The Gothic style room, while it is a popular place for students to study (and hangout between classes) is said to hold a striking resemblance to Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series. While the historic charm of the limestone skyscraper is evident, there are also many modern updates and amenities that have been made to the building such as touchscreen elevators, a coffee shop, and handicap accessibility. The Cathedral of Learning, the Commons Room and the Nationality Rooms are designated Pittsburgh Historic Landmarks.