The New York Times once described Pittsburgh as "the only city with an entrance," and the view of the Golden Triangle skyline on emerging from the tunnel on the Fort Pitt Bridge is undeniably breathtaking. Surrounded by water and fronted with a huge fountain, Pittsburgh's downtown pays tribute to both its coal-grimed past and sunny future. In the core of the original city, the Triangle's imaginative contemporary architecture stands next to Gothic churches and redbrick warehouses. Philip Johnson's magnificent Postmodern concoction, the black-glass Gothic PPG Place complex, looms incongruously over the old Market Square , lined with historic restaurants and shops and a venue for free live lunchtime entertainment most weekdays. More recent history is apparent on the faded buildings along Liberty Avenue, with 1940s and 1950s fronts left in peace during successive face-lifts. At the flat end of the triangle, the spaceship-like dome of Mellon Arena looms above the transport stations - it hosts large concerts and exhibitions, and is home to the Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey team (tel 412/642-7367 for Penguins tickets).

Point State Park , at the peak of the Triangle, is where it all began, the site of five different forts during the French and Indian War. This popular gathering area has a 150ft fountain with a pool, as well as great views of port activity and across to the colorful old buildings on verdant Mount Washington. The park, a great place to view sunsets and an excellent venue for the city's outdoor festivals, contains the 1764 Fort Pitt Blockhouse , the city's oldest structure, a lookout of sandstone and rough brick.

Northeast of downtown along Penn Avenue, the characterful Strip District has a bustling early-morning market with wholesale outlets and fresh produce stalls, popular with bargain hunters and good for cheap breakfasts; it's also a place to head to at night. Down by the river is a growing entertainment complex, with restaurants, bars, a marina and a floating boardwalk. The seven-floor Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center , at 1212 Smallman St (daily 10am-5pm; $6; tel 412/454-6000, ), does a good job of telling the city's story, paying particular attention to immigrants of various eras. Nearby, right on the Allegheny River, the huge brand new Convention Center is opened early in 2002.

Downtown: the Golden Triangle

• Downtown: the Golden Triangle

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