Coit Tower (aka Lillian Coit Memorial Tower) sits atop Telegraph Hill in the middle of Pioneer Park. When Lillie Coit died in 1929, she left one-third of her estate to the City of San Francisco for civic beautification. The Tower was proposed in 1931 and after a design competition, construction was completed in 1933.
There are two great things to like about Coit Tower. First, of course, is the view. From the top of the tower, you can see 360 degree views of the City, including Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, the TransAmerica Building and downtown skyline, and both the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge. The second great thing is the murals that dominate interior. The main floor of the tower consists of numerous fresco murals that were painted as part of a Public Works of Art Project, part of a New Deal program to employ artists during the depression. These murals seem to cover every inch of wall space.
Owned and maintained by the City of San Francisco, Coit Tower is on the National Register of Historic Places. The City frequently lights up the tower for special occasions. We've been treated to a patriotic display of red, white, and blue -- each color rotating for a few seconds at a time. Up close, the white seems to more resemble lavender, but from a distance it looks white.
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