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Tower and viewpoint · San Francisco, California
Coit Tower
A concrete tower from 1933 atop Telegraph Hill, with 1930s murals about life in California on the ground floor and an observation deck at the top, with views of the bay, the Golden Gate, the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Coit Tower
Coit Tower was built in 1933 atop Telegraph Hill with funds bequeathed to the city by Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a wealthy San Francisco resident who asked that the inheritance be used to beautify the city. The design is by architects Arthur Brown Jr. and Henry Howard: a smooth cylindrical concrete tower that became one of the city’s skyline landmarks.
On the ground floor are the murals painted in 1934 by about 25 artists, part of one of the first federal arts support programs during the Great Depression. The paintings depict work in factories, fields, ports and the streets of California at that time, and several include social themes that caused controversy at the opening.
An elevator takes visitors to the observation deck at the top of the tower, from where you can see the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the neighborhoods in the northern part of the city. The climb to the tower can be done on foot via the Telegraph Hill stairways, surrounded by gardens.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
1 to 2 hours.
Best time
On clear days, in the morning, before the fog reaches the bay; from September to October the sky is often clearer.
How to get there
It sits atop Telegraph Hill, above North Beach. Bus 39 goes up to the tower; on foot, the best-known ascent is via the Filbert Street stairway from the Embarcadero.
Tip
Take the bus up and walk down the Filbert Street stairway to the Embarcadero, passing the gardens of the hillside houses.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Coit Tower
What’s inside Coit Tower?
1934 murals painted by about 25 artists on the ground floor and, at the top, an observation deck with views of San Francisco Bay.
How do you get up to Coit Tower?
By bus (line 39) to the top of Telegraph Hill or on foot via the Filbert Street stairway from the Embarcadero.
What can you see from Coit Tower’s observation deck?
The bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the neighborhoods in the northern part of the city.