Coit Tower, San Francisco

It's one of San Francisco's most visited and beloved landmarks. The 210-foot white, fluted pillar pierces the skyline from the top of Telegraph Hill and affords visitors some of the most magnificent 360-degree views of the city. The tower was built in 1933 with funds bequeathed by Lily Hitchcock Coit, a wealthy, colorful woman who left one-third of her fortune to the city, with instructions to beautify the skyline. Not only is Coit Tower a memorial to its namesake, but also to the San Francisco firemen whom she adored (as a child, she was saved from a fire). Some liken the tower's façade to the nozzle of a fire hose. To get to the top of the tower you can take an elevator or climb the 400 or so steps. But before you ascend make sure to check out the tower's other treasures—the ground-floor murals, painted by 26 master artists and 19 assistants, depicting various aspects of the Great Depression on the city. The colorful artworks were created as part of Roosevelt's Public Works Art Project.

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