Coit Tower

Coit Tower opened in 1933 with money left to San Francisco by Lillie Hitchcock Coit. The 210-foot concrete tower is often said to resemble a fire-hose nozzle, but its architects denied designing it that way. The observation level looks across downtown, the bay, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate.Inside, 26 artists created one of the country's largest surviving groups of murals from the federal Public Works of Art Project. Their 1934 scenes show farms, ports, factories, department stores, newspapers, and labor conflict during the Depression. Political arguments delayed the public opening, and officials removed part of one mural. Elevator admission is paid, hours change by season, and an elevator outage can mean climbing 13 flights. More

Coit Tower opened in 1933 with money left to San Francisco by Lillie Hitchcock Coit. The 210-foot concrete tower is often said to resemble a fire-hose nozzle, but its architects denied designing it that way. The observation level looks across downtown, the bay, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate.Inside, 26 artists created one of the country's largest surviving groups of murals from the federal Public Works of Art Project. Their 1934 scenes show farms, ports, factories, department stores, newspapers, and labor conflict during the Depression. Political arguments delayed the public opening, and officials removed part of one mural. Elevator admission is paid, hours change by season, and an elevator outage can mean climbing 13 flights. More