Best of the World 2012 (Pittsburgh, PA makes list!!)

National Geographic ^ | 2012 | Unknown

[dickmc]

What places are calling your name for 2012? Whatever your mood, Traveler magazine has a recommendation for you—from the romantic hills of Croatia to the perfect beach in Thailand.

[dickmc]

Pittsburgh

Extreme Metropolitan Makeover

Three rivers. One reinvented city. On all counts, the Steel City’s transformation over the past quarter century qualifies as revolutionary. Its mourning for its industrial past long concluded, this western Pennsylvania city changed jobs and reclaimed its major assets: a natural setting that rivals Lisbon and San Francisco, a wealth of fine art and architecture, and a quirky sense of humor.

Pittsburgh’s century-wide swath of architectural styles persuaded British film director Christopher Nolan to use downtown as a stand-in for Gotham City in this summer’s Dark Knight Rises. Sustainable design has transformed Victorian landmarks like the glass-domed Phipps Conservatory and created contemporary ones like the swooping waterfront convention center (above).

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While Pittsburgh is rather pretty particularly from the top of Mt. Washington overlooking downtown and the three rivers, a trip to Costa Brave Spain (also on the list) would not be too bad!

[raccoonradio]

I visit Pitt. for about a week every year, related to my cartoon fan conv. that brings $3-4 mil. into the economy. Nice.

[Michael Barnes]

Thailand?

[MarineBrat]

Da Burgh ping needed

[Vigilanteman]

Our downtown skyline is second to nowhere else in the world. That fountain you see in the foreground where the three rivers meet is both the site of the flashpoint which started the French and Indian War which led to the birth of our great nation and the launch point for the journey of Lewis and Clark which led to our westward expansion.

Try naming any other city skyline which even comes close.

[MASS-2 FAC]

Great picture! Thanks for posting it...

[Revolting cat!]

Pittsburg, CA

[andy58-in-nh]

Shanghai.

[Joe 6-pack]

FYI :-*

[dfwgator]

This blew my mind when I first saw it:

[Joe 6-pack]

I grew up just outside the city. Interesting little factoid here...

"A 2006 study determined that Pittsburgh has 446 bridges, and with its proximity to three major rivers and countless hills and ravines, Pittsburgh is known as "The City of Bridges". Pittsburgh is the world record holder for bridges with piers and stands contained entirely within city limits, beating out Venice, Italy, the previous record holder by 3 bridges. There are many more bridges in Pittsburgh that are not counted toward the world record as they lack piers."

[FroggyTheGremlim]

Shhh! Don't yins tell anybody how nice the 'burgh is. We wanna keep it a secret 'n'nat.

Only one problem: Allegheny County votes 68% straight Democrat in most elections.

[andy58-in-nh]

I saw that, too. The sad thing is that America used to build cities like that. Now we just sue each other and beg the government for scraps.

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

Pittsburgh is a wonderful city. For a city that went through hell in the last half century. They bounced back because of the people and not govt !

[dfwgator]

Pittsburgh is a wonderful city. For a city that went through hell in the last half century. They bounced back because of the people and not govt !

I wish Detroit would take notes on what Pittsburgh did.

[SoothingDave]

All that, and we have a proper entrance, too.

Pop through a tunnel on an otherwise mundane interstate highway and bang! it all hits you in the face.

Nowhere else has that presentation, except perhaps Toontown.

[Vigilanteman]

Very impressive, indeed. But where's the balance? And the history? And the three rivers which meet at the point.

Not knocking Shanghai, grant you. Particularly when you consider how far it has come. Just sayin' Pittsburgh is still better.

[PA Engineer]

Not knocking Shanghai, grant you. Particularly when you consider how far it has come. Just sayin' Pittsburgh is still better.

Agreed. I have been to Shanghai and Pittsburgh has them beat.

[andy58-in-nh]

I’ll grant you this: given the choice, I’d much rather live in Pittsburgh - if only to be able to drive by Casa D’Ice’s place over in North Versailles and read his awesome signs.

[WPaCon]

It only went to Obama 57%.

He actually did worse in the Pittsburgh metro area than in any other major northern metro area besides Cincinnati (and Indianapolis if you exclude Lawrence County). Thankfully, western Pa is no longer the D stronghold it was when I was growing up there. So, I had to move to Chicago to be at home again politically.