This video clip was taken on our way home from our Virginia fall vacation. We decided to break up the 11 hour drive and stay overnight in Pittsburgh, a city that I had wanted to see for a long time. Pittsburgh is known for its stunning location on the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers which together form the Ohio River. The downtown area is referred to as the Golden Triangle, and at its tip, right where the rivers converge, there is Point State Park. Unfortunately Point State Park was closed off due to renovations, but we got a good look at the diverse architecture in downtown Pittsburgh which represents an eccelectic mix of old and new. In total there are 151 skyscrapers in downtown Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh has a really interesting history, over the last few decades it has been transforming itself from an industrial centre dominated by the steel industry to a modern city that has undergone a process of revitalization. Today's Pittsburgh relies on an economic base that consists of education, tourism, healthcare, medicine and high technology. The diverse geography of the city provides great opportunities for outdoor recreation, and the city has more bridges than Venice - apparently 446 bridges in total. We explored a few of them in the downtown core.

After our mid-afternoon exploration of downtown we decided to check out Mount Washington, a residential neighbourhood on the south side of Pittsburgh, best known for its steep hill overlooking the skyline. One of Pittsburgh's unique features are its incline railways or funiculars, which connect the low-lying areas next to the river to the mountaintop. Of the 77 incline railways that used to exist here in the past only two remain: the Monongahela Incline and the more well-known Duquesne Incline. We took the Monongahela Incline which dates back to 1870, and within little more than 2 minutes and at an incline of 35 degrees we travelled up the mountain for a total distance of 194 metres. The view from the top is truly stunning, and this view has recently been named the second best vista in the United States.

We were able to enjoy the sunset from the top of Mount Washington and watch as all the skyscrapers of Pittsburgh started to light up. We also visited the Duquesne Incline and the nearby church of St. Mary on the Mount. After our descent we spent some more time at Station Square, a former railway station that has been turned into an entertainment district with numerous shopping and dining opportunities. A few hours in Pittsburgh were certainly not enough to explore this scenic and historic city, but it was enough to confirm that this city will need to be explored in further detail.

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Added on 03-11-2007 by travelandtransitions