Coit Tower

Overview

Coit Tower is a 64-meter Art Deco fluted column atop Telegraph Hill, offering 360-degree panoramic views of the city, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz. The interior features stunning Depression-era murals.

Highlights

• Observation Deck: The elevator to the top provides expansive views in every direction — the most comprehensive panorama available within the city proper.
• WPA Murals: Twenty-seven fresco murals painted in 1934 by 25 artists as a Works Progress Administration project, depicting California industry, agriculture, and daily life in a Social Realist style influenced by Diego Rivera.
• Filbert Steps: The steep wooden stairway climbing Telegraph Hill through wild gardens and past the colony of feral parrots.

History

Built in 1933 with funds bequeathed by Lillie Hitchcock Coit, an eccentric socialite who adored San Francisco's firefighters. Despite popular myth, the tower was not designed to resemble a fire hose nozzle — architect Arthur Brown Jr. designed it as an abstract fluted column.

Visitor Tips

• Walk Up: The walk up the Filbert or Greenwich Steps through lush gardens is as rewarding as the tower itself. Listen for the famous feral parrots.
• Murals Are Free: The ground-floor murals are free to view; only the elevator ride to the top costs $10.
• Duration: 45–60 minutes.