Coit Tower

Coit Tower stands on top of Telegraph Hill, the steep rise between North Beach and the Embarcadero. It was paid for with a bequest from Lillie Hitchcock Coit: a third of her fortune, about 118,000 dollars, went towards the tower, with a small top-up from the city, and it was dedicated in October 1933. The architects were Arthur Brown Jr., who won the design competition, and Henry Temple Howard. The tower is 180 feet tall, and a lift inside it carries visitors up to an observation deck near the top.

The hill itself has a long connection with watching the bay. In 1849 a signal station here passed on news of ships arriving through the Golden Gate, which is how Telegraph Hill got its name. The observation deck sits 32 feet below the top of the shaft.

For many visitors the murals are the real reason to come. In 1934 the federal Public Works of Art Project paid a group of more than 20 artists to paint the interior walls in fresco. The scenes show California life during the Depression: farms and factories, city streets, newspapers and current events, banking and law. Several of the artists put political ideas into their work, which caused controversy at the time and led federal officials to order the removal of a hammer and sickle and a Western Worker banner before the tower opened in October 1934. Most of the work is true fresco, painted into wet plaster, while one artist worked in egg tempera and three more painted oil canvases off site.

Check current opening hours and lift prices before you go, as they are not covered here. Clear days give the best views from the deck, and mornings are usually calmer at popular viewpoints. Allow about an hour for the murals and the views.

Telegraph Hill is steep, so wear comfortable shoes and expect a climb if you walk up from North Beach or the waterfront. A taxi or ride-share to the summit is a sensible choice for anyone who finds hills hard. Combine it with lunch or coffee in North Beach, or with the Exploratorium on the waterfront below.