Topography defines Pittsburgh. The city unfolds in a series of slopes, valleys, ravines, rivers, streams and rambling green space. Access is achieved by any means necessary—catwalks, stairwells, alleyways, inclines, tunnels and more bridge crossings than any city in the world except Venice. Paul Goldberger, architectural critic for The New York Times called Pittsburgh “The only city in America with an entrance.”

Step onto one of the mushroom-like lookout decks atop Mt. Washington, and you’ll see how the city divides itself into East and West “ends” and North and South “sides.” In all, 88 distinct neighborhoods cling to ridges and hide among the gullies.

In the academic center of Oakland, thousands of students and staff beat a footpath each day up “cardiac hill”—the link between lower and upper campus, home to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and other health-related professional schools. Like so many challenges in medical school, getting to class on time will surely get your heart pumping.

’Burgh Basics
Click on any of the links below for a quick primer on Pittsburgh, from how to apply for a parking permit to where to find a quaint B&B for your visiting family. If you’re traveling from another country and culture, the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors is a welcome first stop to orient yourself to life in these United States of America.

City of Pittsburgh Official Site

Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau

Pittsburgh Portals
www.realpittsburgh.com
www.pittsburgh.net
www.popcitymedia.com

Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors

Neighborhood Treasures

Click on any of the links below and you will discover walking tours, driving routes, and other tips on exploring Pittsburgh’s many distinct communities.

http://www.pittsburgh.net/neighborhoods.cfm

http://www.carnegielibrary.org/subject/pgh/walking.shtml

Mysteries of Pittsburgh

“I stood up and could see the arches and battlements atop the Cathedral of Learning away off in Oakland. Oh, I thought, the Emerald City in the 12th century.“

Fans of author and University of Pittsburgh grad Michael Chabon, best known for his novel-turned-movie The Wonder Boys and more recently, the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, might recognize this passage from Chabon’s first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. Alice McDermott of the New York Times Book Review described Chabon’s descriptions of the city as “astonishing.”

Click here to crawl inside Michael Chabon’s web brain.

Student Top 10 Neighborhood
Hangouts and Haunts

1. Bossa Nova
2. Buffalo Blues
3. Doc's Place
4. Frick Park
5. J. Harris Grill
6. Peter's Pub
7. Schenley Park
8. Shadyside Starbucks
9. Shootz
10. The Boardwalk
11. The Carnegie Museums
12. Walnut Grill

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