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 | San Francisco Architecture Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 39 |  |
 | |  |  | Architecture: Beautiful Buildings | Tip Rating:    |  |  | |  |
San Francisco is truly a city for architectural hounds. There are many areas filled with beautiful buildings or detailing that helps create the romantic image of San Francisco.
Take in these buildings: Painted Ladies ~ Take in the highest concentration of Painted Ladies in the city by wandering the area bordered by: Divisadero St., Golden Gate Avenue, Webster St, and Fell St. The most recognizable of these are the buldings at Alamo Square, made even more famous on the US tv series "Full House". City Hall and the Civic Centre ~ Built in 1881, this whole complex is done in Beaux Arts Style. The dome on city hall rises to 308 feet; inside there is a breathtaking marble staircase. The Castro Theatre ~ Located near Castro and Market Streets, this theatre was built in the 1920's to show silent pictures -- the box office is still located outside and yes, there is even an organ located at centre stage. To take in the interior, you generally must go to a movie, but trust me, it is truly gorgeous inside. There are many walking tours you can take of these areas, just inquire at the tourist information centre. For More Information: San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau 900 Market Street (415) 391-2000 www.sfvisitor.org Leave a Comment
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| | | | Architecture: Victorian Architecture | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Of course, when most people think of the physical character of the city of San Francisco, they think of two things: the forty-thre massive hills on which the city is built, and its world-famous Victorian architecture. Indeed, the craftsmanship of wood used on some of the homes in city city is exquisite. the city's most treasured and grandiose homes are affectionately known as 'Painted Laidies' for their pastel colouring and 19th century whimsy. Interestingly, the majority of the city's Victorian housing stock lies outside the tourist's haunt of the city's northeast corner. It was this region which was most badly damaged by the fire after the famous 1906 earthquake, and very few Victorian homes survive here. The few notable remaining examples stand around the Vallejo Steps in Russian Hill. The vast majority of the city's Victorian stock lies west across Van Ness Avenue, the width of which served as a firebreak during the post-earthquake fire. The best homes are located in the districts of Pacific Heights, the Western Addition, Hayes Valley (where the famous Postcard Row along Alamo Square sits before the skyline), the Mission District, Noe Valley, the Castro District, and the Haight District, where the examples in the photo at left stand. The Haight (see below) is the place I recommend one see Victorians- they are in abundance here more than any other locale in the city, and their conservative apprearance provides an interesting contrast to the neighbourhood's countercultural roots. The description 'Victorian' for these homes is actually a misnomer. While quite a few were built during the reign of Queen Victoria, a disproportionate number more were built during the Edwardian period directly following. The distinction is subtle architecturally but is made by San Francisco realtors. The 'Victorian' category itself is actually a composite of several late 19th century architectural styles. One can distinguish amongst them:
The Italianite Style is the earliest, appearing in the 1860s and lasting through the 1880s. Italianite homes feature high, rounded windows and heavy cornices building outwards. These homes will generally be quite plain save a bay window projection. The Stick Style became fashionable in the 1880s and features windows more elongated than those of Italianite homes with tops much flatter. The cornices of Stick homes are less ornate as well. The Queen Anne Style is a radical departure from both and was used mainly in the 1880s-1910s. Queen Anne homes were either built of wood plank or shingle and often feature fanciful assymetrical designs including turrets and rounded window indentations. Colourful streets full of these homes make for a favourful impression as well as a convincing argument that San Francisco has easily asserted vernacular architectural styles and that, en masse, they help to shape the city and define its uniqueness. Leave a Comment
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San Francisco
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