My wife and I made our first trip to Pittsburgh, and our hotel was just outside the Liberty area near Steel Plaza. After one of our outings, our bus didn’t go the expected route and we decided to get off because we could see our hotel. Just across the street was this fortress-looking building that caught our interest, and briefly stopped in the courtyard to look around. After snooping around a bit and talking to security, we determined that in fact we could go inside and look around. Whoo hoo!
The Allegheny County Courthouse is, by any measure, a remarkable building architecturally, both inside and out, and it definitely stands out among government buildings. The fact that is over 140 years old and still in use – and not replaced by an unimaginative 1970s boring building – is impressive indeed.
The current building replaced the previous courthouse which burned down in a fire in 1882. It is considered among the finest examples of Romanesque Revival style and is a National Historic Landmark. The building is next to and connected to the a similar building that was the country jail until 1995 and converted to a family court for Allegheny County.
Visiting
As a working county facility, you can enter it the same as any county citizen paying their taxes or whatever. After entering the courtyard from Fifth Avenue, take a right at the fountain and follow signs to the security checkpoint. After x-raying your bag and walking through the metal detector, proceed to the second floor.
NOTE: No need to feel squeamish about going somewhere you shouldn’t, the security guards expect random people to show up and are quite friendly (I had a long conversation about baseball, the Pirates, PNC Park, lots of fun). Just remember – and you’ll be reminded – that you cannot take pictures on the third and fifth floor!
Second Floor
I stuck to the second floor which was amazing enough; even if the upper floors had more, picture taking would be limited and I’d have to walk stairs. So I was lazy and content just by the third floor.
Architecture
As you ascend the stairs from security, you are overwhelmed with natural stone everywhere you look: the walls, the ceiling, the staircases, the bannisters, whatever the stone is – marble and ???? – it’s everywhere. The main stairs are indeed grand, opened up across multiple levels to allow you to see the different floors, both up and down. There are large windows to let in light but also appropriate light fixtures that I assume were gas before being turned into electric at some point.
Murals
On the exterior walls over the windows are murals showing the history and importance of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The murals are colorful, large, and impressive. It was sunny during my visit and the windows brought in plenty of light to enjoy the artistry.
Event Center
Yes, event center: the second floor can be rented for your event; in fact, my first attempt to visit was thwarted by a wedding. Attendees sit facing the stairs to the third floor and (I believe) there is a temporary stage for the actual proceedings. The setting is framed by the picture window behind surrounded by one of murals and various national, state, and local flags.
Fountain
A fountain is the centerpiece of the courtyard, surround by benches which people use to read, eat lunch, or just otherwise unwind.
There are inner windows overlooking the courtyard which provide a birds-eye view of the fountain in action. As it was steamy-hot the day of my visit, I wasn’t going to be using the benches, so enjoyed this view instead.
The courtyard fountain is a quiet around which people are reading, eating lunch, or just otherwise unwinding. Looking out from the second floor gives you an enjoyable birds-eye view.
Final Thoughts
I don’t believe I would go out of my way to specifically visit, but well worth it if you’re in the vicinity. Time commitment is minimal, unlikely you’d spend more than thirty minutes unless you’re an architecture buff and really want to internalize everything you’re seeing.
Image Credits
All images © 2024 Scott C Sosna
