The Pittsburgh Crèche

Photo by Damian Catanza

The Pittsburgh Crèche is a large-scale, American crèche, or nativity scene, that is located on the outside courtyard of the U.S. Steel Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Since 1999, the crèche appears annually during the winter season from November’s Light Up Night to Epiphany in January. It is the only authorized replica of the nativity scene in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Design The crèche is a replica of the stable constructed by Italian architect Umberto Mezzana. It is 64 feet wide, 42 feet high, and 36 feet long. The human sculptures were designed by Pietro Simonelli. Figures The number of figures featured in the crèche has increased over time. The original 1999 display …

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Christmas time in Pittsburgh

Photo by Damian Catanza

Christmas and the Holiday season start on Lightup Night. Light Night is the weekend before Thanksgiving. What was Pittsburgh Sparkle Season Back in the 1980’s, there was an uproar about the Christmas season. The city called it Christmas but there are many holidays in December. People were mad and didn’t want to say Happy Holidays or the holiday season. So,the city called it Sparkle Season. The reason glowing lights. The season of lights glowing candles or bright lights. And a Sparkle of hope for the new year. Over the years people accepted the phrase, Holiday season. And Sparkle season is …

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What ever happened to Fort Pitt?

Your tour of Pittsburgh should start here. The Fort Pitt Blockhouse.  It is the oldest building in Pittsburgh and west of the Appalachian Mountains. Point State Park was the home to two pre-Revolutionary War forts. Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt, The Blockhouse dates back to 1764. Look around, and you will see modern bridges connecting the old. How technology has changed. History of the Blockhouse Some times called Bouquet’s Blockhouse[ or Bouquet’s Redoubt. TheBlock House was constructed in 1764 as a defensive military redoubt. Henry Bouquet initiated the construction of a small number of redoubts around the outer walls of …

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