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Coit Tower

Coit Tower, a slender white concrete column rising from the top

of Telegraph Hill, has been an emblem of San Francisco’s skyline

since its completion in 1933, a welcoming beacon to visitors and

residents alike. Its observation deck, reached by elevator (tickets

can be purchased in the gift shop), provides 360-degree views of

the city and bay, including the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.

The simple fluted tower is named for Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a wealthy

eccentric and patron of the city’s firefighters. Coit died in 1929, leav-

ing a substantial bequest “for the purpose of adding to the beauty

of the city I have always loved.”