Heinz Hall is a performing arts center and concert hall located at 600 Penn Avenue in the Cultural District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Home to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, the 2,676 seat hall presents about 200 performances each year.
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THE HISTORY OF PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh is known as “The Gateway to the West” thanks to its ideal location at the intersection of three major waterways. It was founded in 1758 right where the Allegheny River and Monongahela River join together to form the Ohio River.
Pittsburgh’s position made it a titan of early trade in America, and it’s recognized as the official starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. By the mid-1800s, Pittsburgh had become one of the largest cities in the West. But the city’s story isn’t all smooth sailing; over 1000 buildings burned down during the Great Fire of Pittsburgh in 1845.
The city recovered, rebuilt in part by Irish immigrants escaping the Great Famine. By the 20th century, the city had grown to over a half million. By World War II, they had the manpower to produce 95 million tons of steel for the war effort.
Following WWII, Pittsburgh took the initiative to develop a cleaner, greener environment. The city launched revitalization projects to clean up the air and the rivers and invest in cultural development, creating the vibrant, artistic city we know and love today.