The second largest city in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is a major financial and transport centre and the nation's busiest inland river port. Served by several railways, inland-water carriers, major highways, and the nearby Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, it has the headquarters of several major corporations located in the city.

Following the collapse of the domestic steel industry, Pittsburgh's economy was successfully transformed from one dominated by manufacturing—particularly steel, iron, and glass—to one concentrated around high technology, healthcare, and business services. Pittsburgh is a world leader in organ transplants. As a result, many research and testing laboratories are located in the city. Major products include industrial automation, software engineering, and biomedical technology. Pittsburgh, which contains more than 720 bridges, is known as the City of Bridges.

Included among the city's institutions of higher education are the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University (1878), Carlow College (1929), the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1794), and the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (1810). Places of interest include the Frick Art Museum; the Museum of Art, the Sarah Mellon Scaife Gallery, the Science Center, and the Museum of Natural History, which are all operated by the Carnegie Institute; the Institute of Popular Science; Phipps Conservatory; and the Allegheny Observatory. Among the sports, entertainment, and meeting facilities in the city are Three Rivers Stadium, used by major league baseball and American football teams. The city is home to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Pittsburgh Opera, and the Civic Light Opera.

The area surrounding the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers was claimed by both the British and the French. On the recommendation of George Washington, who had visited here in 1753, a detachment of Virginia militia occupied the area at the fork of the rivers in 1754 and started to construct a fort. Less than three months later they were attacked by a force of French and Native Americans and were compelled to withdraw. The French soon completed the construction of the fortification, calling it Fort Duquesne. In late 1758 a British expedition led by General John Forbes moved against Fort Duquesne. Forbes occupied the site only after the French had destroyed the fort. A new fort was called Fort Pitt in honour of the then British prime minister, William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham.

Following the American War of Independence Pittsburgh grew as a depot for settlers heading west. In about 1792, George Anshutz built a blast furnace here, the first step to developing the city's great iron and steel industry, the main growth of which came after 1850. In 1797 Pittsburgh's first glass factory was constructed, and in 1804 the first cotton-textile factory was established in the city. In 1834 the opening of the Pennsylvania Canal and the Portage Railroad, both of which linked the city with Philadelphia, brought increased commerce to Pittsburgh. Since the 1950s Pittsburgh has undergone large-scale redevelopment, and major programmes dealing with smoke-pollution control, flood prevention, and sewage disposal have been implemented. Population (1980) 423,959; (1990) 369,879.

 Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia.  1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation