Ten Great Scenic Views of Pittsburgh
Our Ten Favorite Places
Here are ten favorite places to photograph, record or
paint Pittsburgh - in other words, the following are
places that provide a great city view.
True or False
If you wanted to take a photo of
THE most beautiful, greenest and friendliest city in the
USA, you should have a camera in Pittsburgh.
Answer - True
A
big part of the beauty started a long time ago when
glaciers started cutting out the valley the city was
built in. Was it a million years ago, 500,000 years ago
or 250,000 years ago that this area was carved out?
Does it really matter? Not necessarily as today we are
talking about what Pittsburgh offers today. To be
honest, the fact that we are the greenest city in the
country has a lot to do with the fact that we have had
some great city planners and because of the topography.
The hills provide us with many green areas where it just
doesn't make sense to develop and from every angle you
see the green spaces mixed in with the houses and other
structures that make up the city.
As far as the friendliest city is concerned, you can
easily experience that for yourself. Take a trip to
Pittsburgh and ask for directions and you will most
likely be lucky enough to experience the friendly side
of the Burgh when the person offers to have you follow
them to your destination even though it is not the
direction they were headed.
To understand why Pittsburgh is a great city for
photographers and artists, all you have to do is pick up
a local calendar or one of the many Pittsburgh photo
books and look inside at the beautiful scenes of
Pittsburgh. To make it easier on you,
enjoy a few of the photos of Pittsburgh that we
offer on this site. Well, let me start telling you
about my favorite Pittsburgh photo locations.
#1 The West End Overlook
Or as it is now called, The West End/Elliot Overlook
From this view you have the opportunity to look down at the Point to see
how nicely the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers join together to frame the
city. If you are looking to capture a photo of the city from this vantage
point, it is best to try anytime from late afternoon and on. At that time
of day, the sun is setting behind where you will be standing and the
buildings will change in color from a clear natural look to a golden glow
thanks to the beautiful colors the setting sun provides. As the sun sets
and the lights of the city turn on, a beautiful night shot is yours for the
taking.
#2 The Upper Platform of the Duquesne Incline
To get the best photo from this vantage point it is best to be there in
the afternoon. The exact time is tricky because the shadows change with the
seasons. City shots can be taken with any focal-length lens but a
wide-angle lens will enable you to capture the city along with the incline
included in the shot.
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#3 Walk the North Shore
From the Rivers Casino, past the Carnegie Science Center, Clemente
Memorial Park and PNC Park to the Rachel Carson Bridge, you'll have lots of
opportunities to take some great photos of the Point to the Convention
Center. Speaking of "green" cities, the Pittsburgh Convention Center is the
first "green" convention center in the world. If you walk the North Shore
corridor a few times, you will have a chance to see how drastically the city
changes as the light changes. It's a great way to spend the day.
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#4 Grandview Avenue
Grandview Avenue offers you another great walking and photo opportunity.
Make sure you have your walking shoes on if you get to Grandview Avenue via
the Monongahela or the Duquesne Incline. The advantage of doing the
Grandview Avenue walk (about 1.5 miles) over the North Shore jaunt are the
number of great watering holes on Grandview Avenue. Both, though, offer
unique views of the city. Additionally, if you don't want to walk you can
always drive and most time you can find a parking spot close by. Saturday
is the busiest day on Grandview Avenue. Besides the locals and tourists
enjoying the views, it is the number one spot in the city for wedding
parties to have their group photos taken with the city as a backdrop.
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#5 Point State Park
Point State Park will give you another view of the city and it will give
you an opportunity to relax after doing #3 and #4. Sitting by the fountain
on a hot summer day is the ideal place to cool off in the city. If you are
interested in history, Point Park is the site of Fort Duquesne and Fort
Pitt. There are a few walls remaining from the original structure of Fort
Pitt. The Fort Pitt Blockhouse is the only remaining structure still intact
from the days of Fort Pitt. It was built in 1764 and is the oldest
authenticated structure west of the Allegheny Mountains. The Blockhouse is
managed by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The fountain at the
Point has been a Pittsburgh symbol since it was completed in 1974. An
interesting fact about the fountain is that the water in the fountain does
not come from the three rivers surrounding it but from an underground
subterranean fourth river 54 feet below the surface of the Point. The
fountain is illuminated at night and at various times of the year it is
tinted a different color. Pittsburgh is the only city in the United States
that has a fountain as the focal point and symbol for the city. This is a
great spot to photograph fireworks, riverboats, the fountain itself, the
Blockhouse, Heinz Field, and so much more.
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#6 The Bike Trail by Station Square
Don't think that the only views you have of the city are from Mount
Washington. While you're at Station Square you may want to jump on the
Monongahela Incline or ride your bike a little further to the Duquesne
Incline. You can ride up the side of Mount Washington to take a photo or
two from the top. Both the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines allow you to
take your bike on the incline with you if space allows. From Station Square
you can walk down the bike/hike trail towards the Fort Pitt Bridge and
you'll be rewarded for your efforts with some great views. As always, be
careful on the bike and hike trails.
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#7 From the River/On the Water
The river boats provide interesting views of the city which change as you
go along. Most of the boats dock at Station Square.
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#8 West End Bridge
Many of the bridges in the area were designed for walkers. One of the
bridges that makes this Top 10 list is the West End Bridge that crosses over
the Ohio River approximately a mile south of the Point. The bridge is
located right below the West End/Elliot Overlook. The overlook and the
bridge provide very different views because of the very different
elevations.
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#9 31st Street Bridge
Take a stroll on the 31st Street Bridge which crosses over the Allegheny
River and provides a bird's eye view of Washington's Landing/Herr's Island.
This is a spot where George Washington was said to have spent a night after
his raft capsized on a mission during the French and Indian War and is now a
shining example of urban redevelopment in the city. At various times
throughout the year, if you are lucky, you will see one of the city's many
crew teams training for their next event along with the usual river traffic.
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#10 Liberty Bridge
From the Liberty Bridge, high above the Monongahela River, you'll have
another great view of our city. Depending upon where you stand, you might
be able to get a view of Heinz Field in the background. Go there in
the evening and you'll have a chance to take some pretty dramatic
photographs especially when it is a fireworks night.
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True or False
You are guaranteed to win prestigious awards and
world-wide acclaim for your photographs/artwork of the city if you visit the
locations listed above.
Answer - False
My hope, though, is that I have given you a way of feeling a little more
at home in this beautiful city whether you are a local Pittsburgher, a
tourist or a student. I can start you off and give you the places to go but
I'm sure you will find that your biggest joy will be the people you meet on
your journey. Here's hoping the days will all be sunny and you will bring a
friend along to help you carry your gear and share in the Pittsburgh
experience.
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