Over the rooftops of Chinatown atop Telegraph Hill is Coit Tower, an iconic landmark of San Francisco. The tower was built in 1933 in honor of Lillie Hitchcock Coit and dedicated to San Francisco firefighters.
Coit Tower
A very colorful character, Lillie was an avid supporter of the fire department during her life. At 15 years old, she actually helped the Knickerbocker Engine Company No. 5 battle a blaze. While walking home from school she saw the engine company in action with a shortage of manpower. You can read more about Lillie and her participation that day in this piece at the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco.
Tien Hou on Waverly Place
I took the photo of the tower from the balcony (top floor building on the left, painted yellow and red) of the oldest Taoist temple in the United States, Tien Hou, at 125 Waverly Place while on a walking tour of Chinatown.
Transamerica Pyramid Building
For a different perspective, I shot this photo from the center of the temple’s balcony. I was struck by the distinct contrast between the Transamerica Pyramid building and other skyscrapers built in recent decades to the old world of Chinatown here on the painted balcony of Tien Hou.
This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website.
I love seeing the Coit Tower. I’ve never actually gotten close to it though.
Nice views from Coit Tower, too.
I think you and I both appreciate architecture – especially the juxtaposition of new and old. I bet that was a fun walk to do – and always something I had intended to do in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
It was a very fun and informative walk. I had been to Chinatown many times, but never saw the alleys or other places off the main tourist area.
Great shots. I love the diversity in San Francisco’s architecture as well. It’s one of the things that makes it such a beautiful city.
I recently took an architecture tour of the Financial District that was very interesting. Rick Evans has wonderful walking tours.
There are many great “photo ops” like these to be found while walking from the Ferry Building up through Chinatown and North Beach, to Telegraph Hill, and back along the Embarcadero in San Francisco.
You are so right about that, Dick. Coit is a beautiful sight from many perspectives in San Francisco. Lucky us to have such views!
I have not been to North Beach and Chinatown for couple months now ~ I remember climbing the stairs to Coit Tower, and up that tower….O_O
(Btw, there is a chocolate store called xoxo in North Beach, their truffles are amazing ~~ melts ~)
I’ve been up to the top of the tower a couple of times — awesome views from up there. However, I don’t really like the very tiny elevator you have to take to get there.
Beautiful shots. Thanks for sharing the interesting history of Coit Tower. I have yet to see Coit Tower up close. I’ve always liked walking through SF’s Chinatown. It has so much vibrant activity and is so full of color.
Thanks, Mary. I don’t know how much you’ve seen of Chinatown, but you might want to try Rick Evans’s tour — takes you off the beaten path.
Interesting article 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Love the photos of a warmer climate than here.
It’s pretty chilly here right now, too. Stay warm!
There’s always something so exciting about rooftop photos! I love Chinatowns. Never seen Coit Tower: cool.
Next time in S.F. — check it out. It’s a beautiful landmark and there are great views from the tower itself.
I love photos that show the old and new contrasts in cities. Well done.
Thanks, Vera. My eye is often drawn to old and new contrasts.
It is an interesting contrast between the two sorts of buildings. I took some photos recently in Toronto’s historic Distillery District and the skyscrapers in the background were bugging me – I think perhaps I need to look at the shots again from a different perspective.
I’ve visited Toronto’s Distillery District, too. Definitely take another look at your pics. I hope you’ll have a new opinion of them. 🙂
Can’t beat any views in SF! I love walking tours and find them so very informative.
Nice, Cathy! Reminds me I haven’t been in San Francisco in decades…
That’s too long a time, Sophie. Come back!
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