| Skyline of Pittsburgh | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Downtown Pittsburgh in 2022 | |
| Tallest building | U.S. Steel Tower (1970) |
| Tallest building height | 841 ft (256 m) |
| First 150 m+ building | Gulf Tower (1932) |
| Number of tall buildings(2025) | |
| Taller than 100 m (328 ft) | 27 |
| Taller than 150 m (492 ft) | 10 |
| Taller than 200 m (656 ft) | 2 |
| Number of tall buildings (feet) | |
| Taller than 300 ft (91.4 m) | 34 |
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Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in theU.S. state ofPennsylvania, with a metropolitan area population of over 2.3 million as of 2025. With over 125high-rise buildings with a height of at least 115 feet (35 m),[1] 34 of which exceed 300 ft (91 m), Pittsburgh's skyline is the second-largest in Pennsylvania, afterPhiladelphia. The tallest building in Pittsburgh is the 64-storyU.S. Steel Tower, which rises 841 feet (256 m) and was completed in 1970. It was built as the headquarters ofU.S Steel, reflecting Pittsburgh's role in thesteel industry, and is the fifthtallest building in Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia make up the vast majority of high-rises in Pennsylvania.
The majority of high-rises in Pittsburgh are located in the city'sdowntown, forming a compact, triangular-shaped skyline bound to the north by theAllegheny River, to the south by theMonongahela River, and to the east byInterstate 579. Pittsburgh'snumerous bridges that traverse the two rivers are a common cityscape feature, and are often pictured alongside its skyscrapers.Mount Washington is a popular photography spot of the downtown skyline. Less than three miles east of downtown isOakland, containing the city's second major concentration of high-rises, many of which are part of theUniversity of Pittsburgh. By far the tallest building in Oakland is the 535 ft (161 m) tallCathedral of Learning, aGothic Revival skyscraper that is Pittsburgh's eighth-tallest building and one of the university's main buildings.
From the early 1930s to the 1970s, Pittsburgh hadone of the tallest skylines in the world. The history of skyscrapers in Pittsburgh began with the 1895 completion of theCarnegie Building; this structure, rising 13 floors, was the first steel-framed skyscraper to be constructed in the city.[2][3] It never held the title of tallest structure in Pittsburgh, however, as it did not surpass the 249-foot (76 m) tower of theAllegheny County Courthouse.[4] Pittsburgh was the side of considerable pre-war skyscraper development in the United States, including early landmarks such as theGrant Building and theGulf Tower. 14 high-rises over 300 ft (91 m) where built before 1940, making up about a third of all buildings above that height in the city. After a lull in construction from the mid-1930s to the late 1940s, skyscraper construction resumed in the 1950s. Pittsburgh experienced a large building boom from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. During this time, 11 of the city's 20 tallest buildings were constructed, including the city's three tallest structures: the U.S. Steel Tower,BNY Mellon Center, andPPG Place, which is notable for its glass spires.
Unlike many other major American cities, relatively few high-rises have been built in Pittsburgh during the 21st century, as the population of the city and Greater Pittsburgh continued to decline from its peak in the mid-20th century. Only three skyscrapers over 300 ft (91 m) have been completed since 2000:Three PNC Plaza in 2010,Tower at PNC Plaza in 2015, and the FNB Financial Center in 2024. At 545 feet (166 m), Tower at PNC Plaza, distinguished by its slanted roof, is the tallest building completed in Pittsburgh in the 21st century, while the FNB Financial Center is the tallest building in theHill District.
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The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 300 feet (91 m) in downtown Pittsburgh. Each marker is numbered by the building's height rank, and colored by the decade of its completion. There is only one building in Pittsburgh taller than 300 feet (91 m) that is located outside of the map, theCathedral of Learning inOakland
There are 34 skyscrapers in Pittsburgh that stand at least 300 feet (91 m) tall, based on standard height measurements which includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts.
Two buildings that stood at least 300 feet (91 m) have been demolished in Pittsburgh.
| Name | Image | Height | Floors | Year Completed | Year Destroyed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First National Bank Building | .jpg) | 387 (118) | 26 | 1912 | 1970 | Tallest building in Pittsubrgh from 1912 to 1929. Demolished to make room forOne PNC Plaza.[92][93] |
| Farmers Bank Building | .jpg) | 344 (105) | 25 | 1902 | 1997 | Tallest building in Pittsburgh from 1902 to 1910. Demolished for the construction of aLazarus department store due to a lack of tenants.[94][95] |
| Name | Image | Street address | Years as tallest | Height ft (m) | Floors | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Episcopal Cathedral |  | 328 Sixth Avenue | 1872–1888 | 200 (61) | N/A | [96] |
| Allegheny County Courthouse |  | 436 Grant Street | 1888–1902 | 249 (76) | 5 | [4] |
| Farmers Bank Building | | 301 Fifth Avenue | 1902–1910 | 344 (105) | 25 | Now demolished.[94] |
| Oliver Building |  | 535 Smithfield Street | 1910–1912 | 347 (106) | 25 | [60] |
| First National Bank Building | | 511 Wood Street at Fifth Avenue | 1912–1929 | 387 (118) | 26 | Now demolished.[92] |
| Koppers Tower |  | 436 7th Avenue | 1929–1930 | 475 (145) | 34 | [39] |
| Grant Building |  | 330 Grant Street | 1930–1932 | 485 (148) | 40 | [36] |
| Gulf Building |  | 707 Grant Street | 1932–1970 | 582 (177) | 44 | [22] |
| U.S. Steel Tower |  | 600 Grant Street | 1970–present | 841 (256) | 64 | [5] |
