St. Paul Cathedral (Pittsburgh) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Paul Cathedral

Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
40°26′50.63″N 79°56′59.42″W / 40.4473972°N 79.9498389°W / 40.4473972; -79.9498389
Location	108 N. Dithridge St. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Country	United States
Denomination	Catholic
History
Founded	1834
Architecture
Architect(s)	Egan and Prindeville
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1906
Construction cost	US$1.1 million (1906) or US$32,129,585.35 (2020)
Specifications
Capacity	2,600
Height	247 feet (75 m)
Number of spires	Two
Materials	Limestone
Administration
Diocese	Pittsburgh

Saint Paul Cathedral is the main church for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is often called the "mother church" because it's the most important Catholic church in the area. The St. Paul parish was first started in 1833.

History of Saint Paul Cathedral
- Early Churches and New Location
- Building the Current Cathedral
The Cathedral's Pipe Organ
Gallery
See also

History of Saint Paul Cathedral

Early Churches and New Location

The very first St. Paul Church was opened in 1833. When the Diocese of Pittsburgh was created in 1843, this church became its cathedral. A cathedral is the main church of a diocese.

Sadly, the first cathedral burned down in 1851. A new, bigger building was built in its place in 1855. Both of these early cathedrals were located on Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh.

Over time, the downtown area became very industrial. More factories and businesses moved in. Because of this, many people moved their homes to other parts of the city. The church's property was then sold to a businessman named Henry Clay Frick.

Building the Current Cathedral

The cathedral you see today was designed by architects Egan and Prindeville from Chicago. They were inspired by the famous Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The new cathedral was built in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. It was finished in 1906.

The new building is in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like the grand cathedrals built in Europe many centuries ago. The cathedral serves about 3,000 people who come to worship there. In 1983, it became a protected landmark as part of the Schenley Farms Historic District.

The Cathedral's Pipe Organ

A very special part of Saint Paul Cathedral is its large pipe organ. The first pipe organ was given to the cathedral by Andrew Carnegie around 1895. It was made by W. W. Kimball. This organ was used for many years, until the 1950s.

Later, the cathedral decided to get a new, even bigger organ. They chose a company called Beckerath to build it. This new organ was finished in 1962. It is known as one of the most important organs on the whole continent. It has been repaired and updated several times since it was first installed.