Attraction 9 / 32
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1 Telegraph Hill Boulevard
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The 210ft Coit tower on top of the Telegraph Hill is a monument dedicated to the San Francisco Firemen.
Coit Tower
The
Coit Tower was built in 1933 with funds from Lillie
Hitchcock Coit. She was an eccentric personality who
was best known for her support of the local firemen.
After she died, she left one third of her fortune for
the beautification of the city. The result was the Coit
Tower, which is both a memorial for Lillie Hitchcock
Coit and for the San Francisco firemen. The concrete
tower was constructed by Arthur Brown Jr., best known for his magnificent City Hall.
Detail of a mural
Murals
The
interior of the 63m/210 ft tall cylindrical tower is decorated
with a large number of murals, most of them depicting
life in California during the Great Depression. In total
25 painters worked on the project, which includes -
among many other scenes - a bank robbery, a scene from
the harbor and a look into a department store. The murals
are protected as a historical treasure.
At the top of the
Coit tower is an observation platform
with spectacular 360° views over San Francisco.
At the top of the

View from the observation deck
Telegraph Hill
The Coit Tower is built on top of the 87m/285ft high Telegraph
Hill, which is situated between Fisherman's Wharf and the Financial District. In 1850, a pole with movable
arms on top of the hill was used as a signaling station.
The wooden arms were adjusted to signal the incoming
of ships.
In
1853 it was replaced by an electric telegraph station,
hence the hill's name.

Pioneer Park
Surrounding
the tower is the Pioneer Park. It was bought in 1876
by some businessmen to protect the hill from development.
They donated it to the city on the premise that the
area would become a park.
The Coit tower can be reached by walking up the Greenwich
steps or via the scenic Filbert Steps at Montgomery
Street.
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- Next: Pier 39



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