Location

Pittsburgh is undoubtedly the cockeyedest city in the United States," wrote newspaper columnist Ernie Pyle in 1937. "It must have been laid out by a mountain goat." Pyle's now famous description is a mixture of bewilderment and admiration: "It's up and down, and around and around, and in betwixt," he wrote. "Pittsburgh is hills, mountains, cliffs, valleys, and rivers."

Pyle couldn't be more right. While Pittsburgh offers geographic wonders, it also provides commercial, cultural, and entertainment centers. Pittsburgh is one of the largest corporate headquarters cities in the United States and the home to such important firms as ALCOA, PPG Industries, USX, Heinz, and Westinghouse Corporation. The city is accessible through a variety of air, rail, and ground transportation.

Urban renewal in the city, much acclaimed in recent decades, has included the arts and education as well as physical rehabilitation. Internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, and theater companies perform regularly in the lavish Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts and in other city theaters. Pittsburgh is also the steward of several important art collections and museums. Popular attractions include the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Science Center, and the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center to name a few. The city's educational and cultural standard has contributed much to Pittsburgh's listing in the Places Rated Almanac, as one of America's "most livable cities."

In addition to performing arts and museums, the city also offers a variety of festivals: The Irish Festival, Three Rivers Art Festival, and Regatta bring spectators to the city to learn a few Irish dance steps, browse the pieces of local artisans, or watch boats parade down the three rivers. Pittsburgh also offers an exciting world of professional sports. Grab a hotdog while watching the Pirates at PNC Park, tailgate before the Steelers game at Heinz Field, or watch the Penguins skate onto the ice at Mellon Arena. When not used by the teams, these facilities are often used for musical performances and traveling shows. Take the kids to see Disney on Ice or the circus.

The City of Pittsburgh is the scene of Western Pennsylvania's largest and most important educational complex. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is associated through the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education with nine colleges and universities in the city. These institutions include Chatham College, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University, Duquesne University, Robert Morris University, Point Park University, and Community College of Allegheny County. The cluster of educational institutions in Pittsburgh provides an atmosphere of intellectual growth.

Through the wide scope of field education and other work opportunities, students from the Seminary are involved in many different areas of Pittsburgh. Students serve as pastors in inner-city and suburban churches, as chaplains in hospitals and in county and state penal institutions, as campus ministers, and in many other positions affecting the life of the city and its people.

Within a short drive of the Seminary, students may also experience ministry in rural or small-town settings. Pittsburgh Seminary endeavors to make good use of the many resources for theological education which are available in the metropolitan area. The Seminary also attempts to be an active resource for the region through the stewardship of its facilities and the creative leadership of the members of the Seminary community.

Pittsburgh Facts

Founded: 1758

City Population: 350,363

Allegheny County Population: 1,336,449

Area: 55.5 Square Miles

Elevation: 1,223 Feet

Location: Pittsburgh is within 500 miles of more than half of the U.S. population, and the city is less than 90 minutes flying time from 20 states and Canada.

Average High Temperature (July): 82.5 °F

Average Low Temperature (January): 20.8 °F

Port: Pittsburgh is the nation's largest inland port, providing access to the extensive 9,000 mile U.S. inland waterway system.

Bridges: Allegheny County has more than 1,700 bridges, 720 within city limits, and 15 major bridges crossing downtown Pittsburgh alone.

Media: Two major newspapers, 32 radio stations, and five major television stations allow Pittsburgh to stay in constant communication.

To learn more about Pittsburgh or what there is to do in the city, download our Experience Pittsburgh brochure.