Allegheny County Courthouse Address: 436 Grant Street Year Built: 1888 Height: 318 ft Floors: 5 Function: Courthouse Construction: Bearing Masonry Style: Richardsonian Romanesque Categories: No Information Found Architect: Henry Hobson Richardson Aliases: None Found Web Site: www.county.allegheny.pa.us

This courthouse is considered one of the most significant buildings in the country. It is studied in architecture courses all over the country. The building was so impressive that after its construction an era of several similar buildings being constructed began. A new style of architecture was then named Richardsonian Romanesque after the architect. When it was constructed this building towered over every building in the City of Pittsburgh, but now it is dwarfed by Pittsburgh's other skyscrapers as you can see in the photograph above. Because Grant's Hill (now Grant Street) was lowered in 1913 the building's basement is now the entrance level of the building. In the center of the courthouse is a courtyard with a fountain and in the summer concerts are often held here. Attached to the courthouse by an overhead walkway that crosses over Ross St. known as the Bridge of Sighs is the old Allegheny County Jail. The jail has since moved to along the Monongahela River and now offices are in the old jail.

Sources and Copyright
All images, text, and code (c) copyright 2001-2003 William Kammermeier. The following sources were used to obtain information:

Associated Press. "Courthouse Slowly Getting Its Luster Back." Butler Eagle, 12 February 2003, A9.

Aurand, Martin. Carnegie Mellon University Libraries. "The Architecture of Downtown Pittsburgh."
      <http://zeeb.library.cmu.edu/SAA-PghHostCmte/articles/PghArch.html>.

GreatBuildings.com. "Allegheny County Courthouse."
      <http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Allegheny_Cnty_Courthouse.html>.