Grand Hall

Combining 19th-century elegance and sophistication with all of the 20th-century amenities, Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory is one of the area's most distinctive meeting and banquet facilities.

Welcome to The Grand Hall

Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory is designed to create memorable events and celebrations. It accommodates up to 350 people for sit-down dinners, and up to 500 for cocktail receptions. Full food and beverage services are provided, which can range from hors d'oeuves to gourmet meals rendered with white-glove decorum.

Erected in 1852, Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory was originally St. Mary's German Catholic Church. Its conversion to the Grand Hall has not only preserved but accentuated the fundamental grandeur of the historical Italianate style structure. The high, arching ceiling and 5500 square feet of floor space attest a roominess belied by the warmth and closeness of the atmosphere. Priceless Austrian stained glass windows provide a gentle glow to any function. From the powerful, grey Corinthian columns with gold leaf capitals to the domed ceiling to the grand organ towering above from the back loft, Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory offers a unique and sumptuous experience.

History of The Grand Hall: The Construction Combining 19th-century elegance and sophistication with all of the 20th-century amenities, Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory is one of the area's most distinctive meeting and banquet facilities.

The story of Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory, believed to be one of the five oldest structures in the city, begins in 1848. It was then that priests of the Redemptorist Order of the Roman Catholic Church founded St. Mary's Parish for German-speaking immigrants living in old Allegheny City. The present structure, completed in 1854, was designed in the Neoclassical style by the congregation's first full-time pastor, Father John Stibiel.

In 1876, control of the congregation was assumed by the Order of St. Benedict from St. Vincent's Abbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Italianate vestibule, which was added to the front of the church building in 1906, caused a bit of a scandal because many of St. Mary's clergy and laity felt the addition was not in keeping with the church's Neoclassical design. Nevertheless, it remained. Twelve stained-glass windows, designed by the Tyrolese Art Glass Company of Austria, followed in 1912.

St. Mary's was the first German Catholic Parish established in old Allegheny City. It is also noted as the first German Catholic church in the United States to say Mass in English rather than German. Allegheny's most famous citizen touched St. Mary's when Andrew Carnegie donated half of the purchase cost for a new organ in 1905. The grand organ, produced by A.B. Felgenmaker Organ Company of Erie, Pennsylvania, still towers over the main floor of the Grand Hall from the rear choir loft.

Through meticulous restoration, undertaken by the architects of Landmark Design Associates and contractor Sota Construction Services, Inc., the stately character of the Grand Hall has been preserved. Powerful Corinthian columns with gold-leaf capitals still line the center. Natural lighting continues to shine down through the skylight, which caps the crossing dome sixty-five feet overhead. The stained-glass windows, donated by the Grafs in place to the East Allegheny Community Council, have recaptured their original splendor. One badly damaged half-arch window, located on the eastern wall, had to be replaced. Created by the Pittsburgh Stained Glass Company, the new window represents, in homogeneous tones, the crest of the Graf family originally of Winterthur, Switzerland.

The 19th-century charm of Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory will lend atmosphere to any occasion. The Grand Hall has the capacity to accommodate 350 people seated and up to 550 cocktail-style. Serving wedding receptions, private parties, business meetings and small trade shows, Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory promises to make every event memorable. After almost 150 years, the underlying purpose of Pittsburgh's Grand Hall at The Priory remains the same: it is a place where people gather together to celebrate life.

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