Allegheny Landing Park – Pittsburg’s First Modern Riverfront Park
Nestled between the Roberto Clemente and Andy Warhol Bridges on the North Side, Allegheny Landing Park was Pittsburgh’s first modern riverfront park.
ALLEGHENY LANDING PARK AMENITIES
Biking
Walking
Trails
Public Art
Scenic Views
Riverfront Access
Allegheny Landing was dedicated in 1984, becoming Pittsburgh’s first modern riverfront park. It also pioneered the design concept of riverfront sculpture gardens. Until this point, Pittsburgh’s riverfronts were still largely unused. The Landing was the first to push for a connection of unified riverfront parks, paths, and trails on all three rivers.
The park was a key component of Mayor Richard Caliguiri’s Renaissance Two. It represented the City’s willing investments in public space to better leverage private investments in this landmark redevelopment strategy.
Pittsburgh’s two Renaissance periods were marked development and growth. The first following World War One and the second in the 1980’s Mellon-Stuart Construction Company commissioned this work to pay tribute to these historic times and supplied the artist with photographs of two employees to inspire realistic figures.
The four large, vibrant sculptures of this arrangement are typal of the work of George Sugarman. Sugarman pioneered the idea of free standing sculpture displayed without pedestals.
Pittsburgh’s natural environment and its industrial past are both given tribute in Isaac Witkin’s abstract sculpture. The flowing lines reminiscent of the confluence of our three rivers also reference the molten metals poured in the many mills lining these rivers.
Commissioned as part of the development of Allegheny Landing as a riverfront sculpture park, Ned Smyth’s sculptural installations reference mankind’s origins, the role of labor and human culture, and the balance between civilization in nature.
The ground mosaic Mythic Source with its prehistoric aquatic life was originally installed at the nearby Riverfront Plaza. It was removed conservation efforts in 2016, it was then reinstalled within the architectural facades of Piazza Lavaro combining the two works into one sculptural environment.
The Three Rivers Heritage Trail is Pittsburg's signature trail system. The 33-mile system is maintained by the Department of Public Works in cooperation with the Friends of the Riverfront.
The trail runs along the banks of our Three Rivers and is a popular walking, biking, running, and tourist destination. Collectively, the trail forms portions of the Great Allegheny Passage - a 150-mile passage that connects Pittsburgh to the nation's Capital - Washington, DC.
The North Side portion of the trail was renamed after former Mayor Thomas J. Murphy Jr. in 2019. Mayor Murphy was integral in leading the redevelopment of the North Shore and the creation of our riverfront trails.
