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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