San Francisco: Coit Tower
In San Francisco’s Pioneer Park, atop Telegraph Hill, stands the 210-foot tall, art deco, Coit Tower.
The tower was built in 1933, with funds donated by Lillie Hitchcock Coit. Folklore claims that the tower was designed to look like a fire hose nozzle, and was a tribute to the firefighters of the 1906 earthquake fire. Although this version is disputed, it is widely retold and is consistent with the quirkiness of the donor. The tower underwent a major restoration in 1984.
Today, Coit Tower has become as much a part of the San Francisco landscape as the Golden Gate Bridge or the Transamerica Pyramid.
A tour of the Tower, and its surrounding grounds, can easily be accomplished in an afternoon. The views of the city, the Golden Gate bridge, and the Bay are spectacular from the main floor and grounds of the tower, and even more so from the viewing area at the top. There are lots of spots to enjoy the views, and for photo ops.
On the first floor, are murals considered to be some of the best examples of depression-
era art, done by 26 different artists, all in a Diego Riviera style. The murals depict the daily life of workingmen and women during the depression, and were considered at the time of their painting to be subversive. For more a more indepth explanation of the mural art, consider reading “Painting on the Left: Diego Rivera, Radical Politics, and San Francisco’s Public Murals”
Coit Tower is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is no charge for entrance into the lobby level. There is a small charge for the elevator to the top. The tower is only accessible by one road, with a small parking lot at the top of the hill. During the summer, traffic is miserable and parking generally unavailable. Other options include walking the two steep blocks up Filbert or Greenwich Street (from Grant Avenue), or taking the #39-Coit Muni bus.
My most recent visit to Coit Tower was in mid-December. A friend and I took advantage of a pleasant winter day, checked out the views, took some photos, and wandered through the murals. It’s was a pleasant, and unhurried way to spend an hour or two.
If you can’t make it to San Francisco, consider a virtual tour.
Photo Credits: Author; Jon Rochetti c.2006
Tags: California, Coit-Tower, San-Francisco, travel
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POSTED IN: Things to See & Do
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