Review: Palace of Fine Arts
One of San Francisco's most famous buildings.
Photos
A mock-classical ruin erected for the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition in 1915, the Palace of Fine Arts was originally fashioned from wood, plaster, and burlap and intended to be merely temporary. But when the exhibition finished, locals wisely decided the building was too lovely to destroy. Ravaged by the elements, it was eventually recast in concrete in the '60s. Watch for swans and turtles sunning themselves, as well as posing brides: The building is a popular backdrop for wedding pictures.
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