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Syria Mosque
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Josh Gibson Field, South Tenth Street Bri, Greenlee Field, Schenley Bridge, Duquesne Gardens
Syria Mosque was a 3,700-seat performance venue located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Constructed in 1911 and dedicated on October 26, 1916, the building was originally built as a "mystical" shrine for the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (the Shriners) and designed by Huehl, Schmidt & Holmes architectural firm of Chicago. It was recognized as one of the best examples of "exotic revival architecture".
Located at 4223 Bigelow Boulevard, it held numerous events over the years, mainly highlighted by concerts of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and numerous internationally recognized music performers, as well as political rallies and speeches. Despite community efforts to have Syria Mosque designated a historic landmark, the building was demolished August 27, 1991.
The Medinah Temple in Chicago (constructed one year after this building by the same firm) is a similar building still in existence (though now converted to retail space).
Concert events
Among the concert events:
February 28, 1920: Enrico Caruso performs just 18 months before his death.
The Band on September 21, 1976, the "Next to Last Waltz." On Thanksgving night at Winterland in San Francisco, they played their final concert. It became the Martin Scorsese film "The Last Waltz."
Kansas on October 30, 1976, in a show that was recorded and later broadcast by 102.5 WDVE-FM
Beatlemania (musical) in 1981, shortly after the death of John Lennon
November 4, 1966: The last public appearance by longtime mayor, governor and boss David L. Lawrence.
Birthplace of network television
On January 11, 1949, from 8:30pm to 11pm EST, KDKA-TV (then WDTV and part of the DuMont Television Network) began its initial broadcast on its "network" centered in Pittsburgh. The program began with a one-hour local show broadcast from Syria Mosque, then finished with 90 minutes from ABC, CBS, NBC, and DuMont, featuring stars such as Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle, DuMont host Ted Steele, and many other celebrities. The station also represented a milestone in the television industry, providing the first "network" of a coaxial cable feed that included Pittsburgh and 13 other cities from Boston to St. Louis.
Demolition
Despite community efforts to have the building designated a historic landmark, the Syria Mosque was torn down on August 27, 1991. The site serves as a parking lot for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Plans were announced that University of Pittsburgh would acquire it from the medical center in 2016.