The Turkish room, just completed in 2012, has a panoramic view of Istanbul (not Constantinople). Old Pa Pitt is much taken with the clever arrangement of fold-down desks.
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Nationality Rooms: Lithuania
In the rear of the classroom, a copy of “The Two Kings” by Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, in which the titular kings stumble on a tiny Lithuanian village radiating Lithuanian culture to the world.
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Nationality Rooms: Germany
The German classroom is full of dark carved woodwork, and scenes from famous German fairy tales are depicted in the stained glass. Below: Little Red Riding Hood.
“Guten tag, Rotkäppchen, wo hinaus so früh?” (“Well, hello there, Little Red Riding Hood! Where are you going so early?”)
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Nationality Rooms: Austria
This is the sort of room in which one feels one ought to be negotiating a treaty. Modeled after the Haydnsall in the Esterházy palace in Eisenstadt, it includes copies of three of the famous ceiling murals by Tencalla, which depict the wedding of Cupid and Psyche. (The copies were done by the Pittsburgh artist Celeste Parrendo.)
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Nationality Rooms: China
A gilt dragon on the ceiling looks down on the Chinese classroom in a possessive way. Dragons are supposed to bring good luck, but this one looks as though he plans to make quite sure you are worthy first.
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Nationality Rooms: Syria-Lebanon
It is not necessary to tell a Pittsburgher what the Nationality Rooms are, but for the benefit of visitors from foreign parts we explain that they are a set of classrooms in the Cathedral of Learning (which itself is such a wonderful absurdity that it requires some explanation, but not here) decorated in the styles of Pittsburgh’s various immigrant groups. Each is a unique work of art, and none more elaborate than the tiny Syria-Lebanon Room, the only one of the lot not usually open to the public.
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Rebel Flag in Allegheny West
An Allegheny City flag flies on Beech Avenue in Allegheny West. Pittsburgh conquered Allegheny, its smaller neighbor, in 1907, in spite of the vigorous objections of the citizens of Allegheny. Today Allegheny is the North Side of Pittsburgh, but there are some residents who openly speak of secession.
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Cathedral of Learning in Black and White
The Cathedral of Learning from Schenley Park, in front of Phipps Conservatory. This is not the first time Old Pa Pitt has published a picture of this view, and it will not be the last. It is a view worth seeing in many different lights and different seasons.
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Your WPA at Work in Schenley Park
In 1938 and 1939, the WPA put what today would be millions of dollars’ worth of improvements into the Schenley Park trails. Seldom have improvements been carried out with such simple good taste, and they will probably last for centuries.
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A Celandine Wood in Fox Chapel
Acres and acres of Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) carpet the forest floor near the Squaw Run in Fox Chapel. These and many other local flowers may be found at our sister site Flora Pittsburghensis.
