Discover the Steel City: 13 Fascinating and Fun Facts About Pittsburgh You Never Knew

1. Bridge City Olympians

If bridges were an Olympic sport, Pittsburgh would surely take home the gold: With an impressive 446 bridges, the city trumps any other in the world, flaunting architectural marvels like the oldest through-truss bridge in the US - the Smithfield Street Bridge - and the Roberto Clemente Bridge that transforms into a grand footpath for Pirates fans on game days.
Source => painns.com

2. Mister Rogers' Timeless Set

In a land where sneakers with sweaters and talking trolleys go hand-in-hand, one classic TV set manages to transcend time and realm: The 2019 film "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" brought Pittsburgh's own Fred Rogers back to life, thanks to the original Mister Rogers' Neighborhood set that includes the living room, miniature town, and Neighborhood of Make-Believe. How's that for an authentic blast from the past?
Source => architecturaldigest.com

Did you know that 1.5 million bats call Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge their home, creating the world's largest urban bat colony? Witness their nightly insect feast and join the delighted locals and tourists! 🦇

=> Fun Facts about Texas

3. The Burgh's Blockbusters

Lights, camera, action! Pittsburgh is putting the "burgh" in blockbuster: Since 1914, major films such as "The Perils of Pauline", "The Deer Hunter", "Flashdance", and "The Silence of the Lambs" have been filmed in this cinematic city, thanks to Pennsylvania offering $70 million a year in tax credits and incentives. The movie magic continues with three more projects currently being filmed there, like "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and TV shows "I Am Not Okay With This" and "Manhunt: Lone Wolf".
Source => pghfilm.org

4. Heavenly Baseball Beginnings

Calling all Angels! Hollywood clearly "Pirates" the idea for a divine baseball intervention in 1951, but is Pittsburgh where it all happens? Heavenly spoiler alert: The original "Angels in the Outfield" movie was actually set and filmed in Pittsburgh, featuring genuine baseball action at Forbes Field, a special cameo by Bing Crosby, and glimpses of famous landmarks like the Carnegie Museum and Cathedral of Learning.
Source => library.cmu.edu

5. Rubber Duck Floats in Pittsburgh

When Pittsburgh's rubber met the road, they took it to the river: In September 2013, the city hosted an International Festival of Firsts which introduced "The Rubber Duck," a 40-foot-tall floating masterpiece by Florentijn Hofman that had previously wooed cities like Hong Kong, Sydney, and Tokyo, and became a famous attraction while gently bobbing on the Allegheny River.
Source => pittsburghmagazine.com

6. Yinzerdom Sport Spectacular

In the land of Yinzerdom, where "yinz" replaces "y'all" and Terrible Towels wave like flags of honor, sports reign supreme: Pittsburgh proudly boasts three major professional sports teams - the Steelers with their terrifically tied record of 6 Super Bowl wins, the 5-time Stanley Cup champion Penguins, and the Pirates who have plundered 5 World Series titles, not to mention the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, golf legend Arnold Palmer, and Olympic wrestler Kurt Angle, all hailing from the city of black and gold.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. T. rex Fossil's Home

Hold onto your Jurassic pants and sharpen your dino knowledge: Pittsburgh's very own Carnegie Museum of Natural History is home to the first-ever discovered fossil of the Tyrannosaurus rex! This big-boned beauty, found in 1902 by paleontologist Barnum Brown, serves as the gold standard for all T. rex fossils, featuring a massive five-foot skull and a toothy grin with 60 serrated teeth, each up to six inches long. So, next time you're in the 'Burgh, swing by and say hello to the original king of the Cretaceous Period – just don't get too close to that smile.
Source => carnegiemnh.org

8. The Mighty Monophthongization

Fearing no vowels, the brave citizens of Pittsburgh valiantly battled their arch enemy, unnecessary syllables, and emerged victorious with their secret weapon – the mighty monophthongization: A linguistic phenomenon that occurred in the 1920s, Pittsburghese shortens words by merging vowels, resulting in unique pronunciations like "dahntahn" for downtown and "bawght" for bought, and is studied extensively by linguistics professors at University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.
Source => wesa.fm

9. City of Stair-Masters

Step right up and witness the city that puts the "stair-master" to shame: Pittsburgh boasts over 675 public staircases originally built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for workers in the hilly terrain, now overseen by the Department of City Planning and crucial to the city's walkability!
Source => positivelypittsburgh.com

10. Primanti's Potato Legacy

In a potato-fueled twist of fate that would bring a tear to Mr. Potato Head's eye: The iconic Primanti sandwich, laden with french fries, came into existence during the Great Depression when a generous trucker brought an abundance of spuds to Joseph Primanti’s small sandwich cart in The Strip District of Pittsburgh, thus spawning the gastronomic masterpiece known as the Almost Famous sandwich.
Source => positivelypittsburgh.com

11. Trundle Manor's Creepy Tours

Looking for a spine-tingling blast from the macabre past? Trundle on down to the ghoulish abode at Trundle Manor: Pittsburgh's creepiest hidden gem offers private tours for brave souls aged 4 and up, showcasing peculiar collections, haunted medical instruments, and other eerie oddities – but oddly enough, leaves spirits of the alcoholic kind off the donation list.
Source => trundlemanor.com

12. Duquesne Incline Fun Rides

Ready for an incline toward hilarity? Hold on tight to your wooden cable cars and hope your pockets are jingling with exact change, because it's time to hop aboard Pittsburgh's world-famous, gravity-defying amusement, er, transportation marvel: The Duquesne Incline not only serves as an extraordinary tourist attraction but also a practical transport system using the same cash fare as the city's buses and trolleys, providing free rides to locals aged 65 and above with senior IDs, and even making their upper station wheelchair accessible for delightful, sloping adventures.
Source => duquesneincline.org

13. Keg Ride with Bike Pittsburgh

When life gives you lemons, make a Keg Ride: Pittsburgh's East End Brewing Company found a unique solution to overcome legal obstacles by teaming up with Bike Pittsburgh to host a keg-toting bike ride that has evolved into an annual event, featuring founder Scott Smith leading over 500 participants as he pedals a keg and taps it for all who follow.
Source => hopculture.com