EXHIBIT 5.2

                        ECKERT SEAMANS CHERIN & MELLOTT
                                Attorneys at Law
                          600 Grant Street, 42nd Floor
                              Pittsburgh, PA 15219
                             Telephone 412-566-6000
                             Facsimile 412-566-6099


                                        May 16, 1996 

Board of Directors 
PNC Bank Corp.  
249 Fifth Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA  15222-2707

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are rendering this opinion in connection with the proceedings taken and
proposed to be taken by PNC Bank Corp., a Pennsylvania corporation (hereinafter
the "Corporation"), regarding the registration of (i) one million (1,000,000)
shares of common stock, par value of five dollars ($5.00) of the Corporation
(hereinafter the "Common Stock") which will be purchased by participants of the
PNC Retirement Savings Plan (hereinafter the "Plan") and (ii) an indeterminable
amount of interests of participation in the Plan (the "Plan Interests").

We understand that you will rely on this opinion in connection with the Plan
and the related Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") of the Corporation to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission relating to the registration of the Common Stock to be sold to
participants of the Plan and the Plan Interests.

We participated in the design and drafting of the Plan and are therefore
familiar with its terms.  We have examined applicable law and made such
investigations as we have deemed necessary and appropriate in order to render
the opinion addressed herein.

Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Plan satisfies the
technical provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended (hereinafter "ERISA"), and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (hereinafter the "Code"), although it should be noted that whether any
plan qualifies under the Code is a question based upon factual considerations
prevailing at any given time.  While our opinion is not binding upon any
governmental agency, we believe the Internal Revenue Service would act
favorably upon submission of the Plan with a request for a determination letter
to the same effect as our opinion.

We understand that it is the Corporation's intent to file the Plan with the
Internal Revenue Service seeking a determination of the Plan's tax-qualified
status under Section 401(a) of the Code.  We note that the Internal Revenue
Service may require that modifications be made to the Plan.  The Corporation,
however, has expressly reserved the right in the Plan to make such
modifications to the Plan as are required to obtain receipt of a favorable
determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service.

Our opinion is based upon the Plan as it is now designed and drafted and upon
the provisions of ERISA, the Code, governmental regulations and judicial
authorities in effect as at the date of this opinion letter, any of which may
change in the future with retroactive effect.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the aforesaid
Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the heading "Legal
Opinions" in the Prospectus forming a part of such Registration Statement.

Very truly yours,

/s/ ECKERT SEAMANS CHERIN & MELLOTT

ECKERT SEAMANS CHERIN & MELLOTT