When it was time to hit the road after a successful Erie
trip last week, my husband, who had graciously agreed to be my driver,
suggested a pit stop in Pittsburgh to shorten the boredom of the six-hour ride
home. Of course, he didn’t have to twist my arm.
He had spent some time earlier in the day researching unique
places to stay in the Pittsburgh area and found just the right place, rich in
both history and character.
Within three hours, we were popping the trunk on Pressley
Street in front of The Priory Hotel in a little area in Pittsburgh called Deutschtown.
The building, which dates back to 1888, is now home to travelers, but once
served as a monastery.
Our first impression was that parking was a bit tight in the
little lot reserved for visitors, which was located across the street from the
42-room inn. The neighborhood, too, had
seen better days and didn’t feel all that conducive to strolling around, at
least not out front. Out back was a different story altogether (I know, weird,
but more on that later).
The History of The Priory
In 1848, the area around The Priory was home to many German immigrants.
Oompah bands performed outside of taverns, shops sold German specialties and breweries
dotted the neighborhood. When the residents of Deutschtown decided it was time
to build a church, they banded together in 1848 to construct St. Mary’s Parish,
which still exists next door to The Priory Hotel.
Stained glass windows, which were installed in 1912, are
described as “Priceless examples of the Munich School of Art Glass,” crafted by
the Tyrolean Art Glass Company of Innsbruck, Austria. Today, the church serves
as an event place called “The Grand Hall” and is a popular wedding venue.
In 1888, a Priory, (or monastery), was added to the church
property as a home for Benedictine priests and brothers who ministered to the
congregation. It also served as a temporary retreat for Monk’s traveling to the
St. Vincent’s arch abbey in Latrobe, which was the seat for the Benedictine
order in the United States.
Our Visit
Our first plan was to unload the bags and head to the Andy
Warhol Museum located not far away from the hotel. We were happy to learn that the shuttle at the
Priory was complimentary and available to whisk us there once we settled in so
we didn’t have to bother moving the car.
When we learned our room was on the third floor, we were ready
to climb the stairs, but instead were directed to an elevator, which was a
pleasant surprise for such a small hotel. Our room overlooked the street and was
elegantly decorated in warm shades of tan, orange and brown and it turns out
the bed was quite comfortable.
After our visit to the Andy Warhol Museum (the topic of a
future post), we returned to the hotel, picked up the car and it was on to Carson
Street where we dined at a small Italian restaurant called the Stagioni where my
husband Mike enjoyed a pork chop and I dined one of my favorite dishes--lamb Ragu
with pappardelle. I have to say I was
glad I didn’t order the pork chop that tasted overwhelmingly of lemon, which
didn’t match well with pork—just my humble opinion.
Lamb Ragu with Papperdalle at stagioni and Pork Chop eau du Lemon |
When we returned to our hotel, we spotted a small, but
adorable bar near the sitting room where I was offered a tasty vodka soda with
fresh blackberries. The bartender offered my husband a martini before
mentioning the courtyard out back. Because the bar was so cute and cozy, we
hesitated for a moment before agreeing to check it out and ended up being glad
we did.
Courtyard at The Priory |
The comfy chairs on the spacious, brick porch overlooking
the courtyard were perfect for relaxing on during that warm fall evening. The
scene was about as serene as you can expect a former monastery to be and we had
a view of the beautiful historic church which shares the property.
The following morning we dined on the complimentary breakfast
of coffee, tea, yogurt, fruit and pastries.
Breakfast at The Priory |
Before we departed, we spotted a verdant garden located
across the street from the backyard courtyard called Laura’s Blumengarten. A
sign explained that it was planted as a tribute to the German-speaking
immigrants of Deutschtown and discovering the hidden little treasure was a
lovely ending to a wonderful visit.