Images of Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail, by H. H. Richardson, Pittsburgh, 1883-88. Digital Imaging Project: Art historical images of European and North American architecture and sculpture from classical Greek to Post-modern. Scanned from slides taken on site by Mary Ann Sullivan, Bluffton College.

Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail

Henry Hobson Richardson
1883-88

Richardson considered this commissioned building (for which a competition was held) as his best work, even though it was not completed at the time of his death. Made of grey granite and somewhat rusticated, the Courthouse suggests the strength and stability of governmental institutions.

View fron the south and tower at the center of the facade
Each corner of the building has a square pavilion with a higher roof and tall dormer windows.

The front facade, entrance and entrance detail
Unlike many of his buildings, the front facade is symmetrical and Richardson uses no polychromy.

The base of the masonry building at a side corner and at the front facade

A side view and detail of a projecting round bay on the side.

Rear of the Courthouse and corner pavilion and dormer detail
Like the front and side, the back of the building uses different fenestration for each floor. A "Bridge of Sighs," borrowed from the Doge's Palace in Venice, connects the Courthouse and Jail.

Click here to see the courtyard of the Courthouse and the Jail.

Go to the Richardson Index.

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Click here to return to chronological index.

Click here to see the home page of Bluffton College.

Copyright © Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.

Page created by Mary Ann Sullivan

Richardson considered this commissioned building (for which a competition was held) as his best work, even though it was not completed at the time of his death. Made of grey granite and somewhat rusticated, the Courthouse suggests the strength and stability of governmental institutions.
		View fron the south and tower at the center of the facade Each corner of the building has a square pavilion with a higher roof and tall dormer windows.

The front facade, entrance and entrance detail Unlike many of his buildings, the front facade is symmetrical and Richardson uses no polychromy.


The base of the masonry building at a side corner and at the front facade

		A side view and detail of a projecting round bay on the side.

Rear of the Courthouse and corner pavilion and dormer detail Like the front and side, the back of the building uses different fenestration for each floor. A "Bridge of Sighs," borrowed from the Doge's Palace in Venice, connects the Courthouse and Jail.