Cathedral of Learning
This is the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. In what sounds like a hideous industrial accident, this building attempts to ‘fuse the idea of a modern skyscraper with the tradition and ideals of Gothic architecture’, and is America’s tallest university building. Not much of the height is shown from this angle, except for the gigantic shadow of course, which dwarves all other shadows for miles around.
Completed way back in 1937 the building is over 163 metres tall, has 2,529 windows and 42 floors. Apparently floors 38 through 42 are closed off to the general public though, as they not only contain electrical wiring for the building, but also house a nesting pair of peregrine falcons.
There’s a tour of the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh’s site, with a great ground-level shot, and there’s also a webcam at the top of the building which you can spin around and zoom in and out till you’re dizzy.
Worth noting by the way, that this is only the second tallest educational building in the world…
Thanks to Sixf00t4, Sayf Sharif and David Drexler.
On the picture found on above the “Cathedral of Learning” site, the complex on the lower right corner of the picture is Carnegie-Mellon University. The buildings seen between Pitt and CMU are the Carnegie Museum, Carnegie Library, Carnegie Art Museum and Carnegie Music Hall (Andrew Carnegie made his fortune in Pittsburgh, and it shows).
Directly south of the Cathedral of Learning is a small black L-shpaed building and a grassy area. This is the site where the Pittsburg Pirate’s Forbes Field once stood. Home plate is imbedded in the floor there, in its original position.
I know that the question is burning in somebody’s mind, so I’ll quench that thirst for knowledge by answering it here. As a proud former Pittsburgher (still proud of Pgh, but now in New Orleans) I can tell you all which building holds the world record of largest-as opposed to tallest- university or educational building in the world. That would be the main building of the University of Moscow. The exact dimensions escape me, but a Google search should tell that tale. Try the Guiness Book of W orld Records site.
If your interested in seeing inside the building, especially the Commons Room, check out this tour http://www.mapwing.com/explore/view_tour.php?t=1167j71j2j2j7
There are also some one point tours of the international rooms on the site.