Photos

This is a photo of the exterior of Mellon Arena. I took this photo from the 45th floor of a skyscraper located close by.

Constructed in 1961, it has been home to sporting events, concerts, circus performances and other major shows of all types. It was designed so that the roof was retractable - the triangular sections overlap and can be moved, one over another, until the entire roof is opened save one multi-layered section. However, the retractable roof functioned only sporadically after the first few years, so it has mostly been a closed-roofed venue. The Pittsburgh Penguins professional hockey team makes this arena its home (the arena has been nicknamed "The Igloo" when the Penguins play at home).

A brand new arena is under construction on a neighboring property, and the old Mellon Arena is slated to be demolished next year. So, get a good look at an endangered species - it won't be here to see very much longer.