About Coit Tower
Coit Tower is a 210-foot-tall (64-meter) Art Deco observation tower on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. It was built in 1933, funded by a bequest from Lillie Hitchcock Coit, who wanted to honor the city's volunteer firefighters and beautify the cityscape. From the top of the tower, you can enjoy sweeping views across the city. Inside, you can admire a collection of murals created by various artists in the 1930s. These works, executed in techniques such as fresco and oil on canvas, include elements of social criticism and historical references. The tower, which was declared a National Historic Site in 2008, is also known for the regular restoration of its artworks and has served several times as a backdrop for Hollywood films.
At a glance
- Category
- Sight › Monuments
- Rating
- no reviews yet · write a review
- Address
- 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd
94133-3106 San Francisco, USA - Phone
- +14152490995
- Website
- sfrecpark.org
- rpdinfo@sfgov.org
- Coordinates
- 37.80250° N · -122.40583° E
- Data quality
- confidence 1.00
- Identifier
- ID db7ced4f-f17…
Part of the tour
San Francisco in One Day: The Big Classics →Location & surroundings
Toggle layersFAQ about Coit Tower
quick answersWhat is Coit Tower in San Francisco?
Coit Tower is a 210-foot-tall (64-meter) Art Deco observation tower on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, located at 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd. It was built in 1933 and designated a National Historic Site in 2008. From the top, you get sweeping views across the city, and the tower has served as a backdrop for several Hollywood films.
Who had Coit Tower built, and why?
Coit Tower in San Francisco was funded by a bequest from Lillie Hitchcock Coit. She wanted the money to honor the city's volunteer firefighters and to beautify the cityscape. The tower on Telegraph Hill was completed in 1933 and still bears her name today.
What is there to see inside Coit Tower?
Inside Coit Tower in San Francisco, you'll see a collection of murals from the 1930s created by a number of different artists. The works use techniques such as fresco and oil on canvas and include socially critical elements as well as historical references. The artworks are restored regularly.
What can you visit around Coit Tower?
Around Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, you'll find several historic stairways and monuments. The Christopher Columbus statue stands just 40 meters (about 130 feet) away, the Filbert Steps begin about 173 meters (about 568 feet) away, and the Greenwich Steps about 197 meters (about 646 feet) away. Nearby you'll also find the Malloch Building (about 153 meters), The Poet's Gallery (about 192 meters), and the Kearny Street Steps and Montgomery Street Steps (each about 269 meters).
Are there restaurants and tours near Coit Tower?
Yes, travelguide195 lists around 137 restaurants within 500 meters of Coit Tower in San Francisco. Coit Tower is also part of the tour "San Francisco in One Day: The Big Classics" on travelguide195. That makes it easy to combine a visit to Telegraph Hill with other highlights of the city.
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Visible from much of San Francisco and the Bay Area, Coit Tower stands atop Telegraph Hill and gives an excellent view of the bay and the rest of the city. The tower was built by the Federal Works Projects Administration in 1933 with money bequeathed by eccentric San Franciscan Lillie Coit. Coit was said to have chased after firefighters as a young girl, and as an older woman sponsored her favorite fire company. A fan of the volunteer city firefighters, and local legend has it that the shape of the tower is supposed to simulate the end of a fire hose — although the architects denied this claim. The first and second floors house beautiful examples of New Deal-era idealist murals, and the top floor (reached by elevator) has featured paintings or other art. Artists put in their own signatures and messages in the murals, which interpretive plaques point out.
Source: Wikivoyage, „San Francisco/Chinatown-North Beach“ · authors per page history · CC BY-SA 4.0 · as of 4/5/2015