All about pittsburgh

Time : 2009-09-28

This proud US city has had its ups and downs. Once a pillar of the iron and steel industries, by 1970 the city was famous as part of the "Rust Belt," a symbol of the collapse of manufacturing in the US. Today the run-down heart of the city and the once-polluted rivers have been replaced by a sparklingly waterfront district offering arts, recreation and fine architecture. Though lagging a bit in the current economic crisis, Pittsburgh's incredible rebound is probably one reason President Barack Obama chose to host the G20 summit here.

What's pittsburgh got?

LAND AND PEOPLE:The city measures 142 square kilometers and as of the 2000 census contains more than 334,000 people. The

population peaked in the ore-smeltering heyday of the 1950s and '60s, when more than 600,000 people lived there.

RIVERS:The downtown area's triangular shape is formed by the meeting of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, which become the Ohio River. The "Three Rivers City" got a bad rap in the super-polluted era of the 1970s, when the local joke was "Which river is on fire today?" Thanks to a cleanup after the US Clean Water Act passed, the riverfront today is a scenic recreation spot - and you can eat any fish you catch there. Famous for its bridges, Pittsburgh has more than Venice - or anywhere else in the world, according to the chamber of commerce.

THE NAME:The city was named after the British statesman Sir William Pitt (above) by a Scot, Revolutionary War General John Forbes, who probably pronounced it "Pittsburro" in the prevailing speech of Scotsman of that day. The final "h" was clipped off from 1890 to 1911, but locals fussed so much that city officials put it back.

BEER:Iron City Beer is the homegrown brew. That nickname has stuck to the community even though no steel or iron is made within the city limits anymore. The brewery started a holiday joke promotion years ago with cans of Old Frothingslosh beer, advertised as "the pale stale ale with the foam on the bottom." People loved it - especially beer-can collectors - and the brewery designed new cans of Old Frothingslosh every Christmas for many years.

FOOD:Pittsburghers love to eat at Primanti Brothers' restaurant, where the sandwiches (above) are stacked high with French fries and coleslaw on top of meat, cheese and sliced tomato. The sandwiches are served on a sheet of waxed paper, not a plate. They were originally made for truck drivers delivering vegetables to the nearby produce warehouses.

JOBS:Historically known for its steel industry, the city's economy today is based on healthcare, education, technology, robotics and financial services. The city has redeveloped abandoned industrial sites with new housing, shopping (above) and offices, most notably at SouthSide Works.

CHAMPIONS:The Pittsburgh Steelers won their sixth Super Bowl this year, the only National Football League team to win that many. The Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team (pictured) won the Stanley Cup this year. The Pittsburgh Pirates have won baseball's World Series many times, but not since 1979.

WRESTLERS:The sport is BIG in the state of Pennsylvania, maybe bigger than football. Some heretics believe that states like Iowa and Oklahoma produce better wrestlers, but they don't say that too loud in Pittsburgh.

ARCHITECTURE:Another Cinderella story, since the sagging, rust-bitten skyline of the 1970s has been swept away for modern skyscrapers, theaters and art centers such as the Children's Museum (pictured).

HEROES:

Andrew Mellon was a legendary banker, US Treasury secretary and philanthropist. After World War I he restructured federal tax policy and the overstretched world banking system.

Andrew Carnegie founded United States Steel Corp. and made millions building battleships and bridges; later he used his fortune to construct free librariesin Pittsburgh and thousands more around the world.

Roberto Clemente, a star player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, died in a 1980 plane crash taking relief supplies to victims of the Nicaragua earthquake. Today a bridge named for him is almost as beautiful as his home-run swing.

Pop artist Andy Warhol (above, in self-portrait) was born in Pittsburgh and went to New York City (where he changed his name from Warhola). His hometown built the Andy Warhol Museum, which features many of his works.