San Francisco › Places and landmarks
Places and landmarks in San Francisco
13 landmarks of San Francisco, and the streets, squares and waterways around them, each with its story and where to find it.
Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Landmarks
Transamerica PyramidThe white pyramid of the Financial District, 260 metres tall, the sign of San Francisco’s skyline since 1972.
Ferry BuildingThe ferry terminal at the foot of Market Street, with its clock tower after the Giralda of Seville, now a food hall.
Coit TowerThe slim concrete tower on top of Telegraph Hill, built in 1933 with the money of Lillie Hitchcock Coit.
Dragon GateThe gate into Chinatown on Grant Avenue at Bush Street, with green tiled roofs, dragons and two stone lions.
ChinatownThe oldest Chinatown in North America, along Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, with lanterns over the street.
Union SquareThe square of the big shops and hotels, named after the rallies for the Union before the Civil War.
Washington SquareThe green heart of North Beach, the Italian quarter, before the white church of Saints Peter and Paul.
City LightsThe bookshop of the Beat poets on Columbus Avenue, which published Allen Ginsberg’s Howl in 1956.
Golden Gate BridgeThe orange suspension bridge across the mouth of the bay, about five kilometres west of the game’s map.
Lombard StreetThe block of Lombard Street on Russian Hill with eight hairpin bends between flower beds, west of the game’s map.
AlcatrazThe rocky island in the bay, a federal prison from 1934 to 1963, built so that no one could swim away.
Also part of San Francisco
Streets, squares and waterways
The places that hold the centre of San Francisco together. Point at one to find it on the map.
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1
Union Square square
The square of the department stores and hotels, with the Dewey Monument in the middle.
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2
Powell Street street
The street of the cable cars, from their turntable at Market Street up Nob Hill.
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3
Dragon Gate gate
The green-roofed gate into Chinatown at Grant Avenue and Bush Street.
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4
Grant Avenue street
The main street of Chinatown, under strings of red lanterns.
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5
Portsmouth Square square
The old plaza of Yerba Buena, where the city began, now Chinatown’s living room.
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6
California Street street
The cable car line from the Financial District up Nob Hill, past Old St. Mary’s.
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7
Transamerica Pyramid building
The white pyramid of 1972, 260 metres tall.
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8
Jackson Square quarter
A few blocks of brick buildings from the Gold Rush that survived the fire of 1906.
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9
Market Street street
The city’s main avenue, from the Ferry Building south-west across the city.
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10
Ferry Building building
The ferry terminal of 1898 with its clock tower, now a food hall.
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11
The Embarcadero street
The boulevard along the bay and its piers, with palm trees and old streetcars.
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12
Columbus Avenue street
The diagonal street of North Beach, from the Transamerica Pyramid to the bay.
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13
City Lights building
The bookshop of the Beat poets, at Columbus Avenue and Broadway.
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14
Washington Square park
The park of North Beach, before the church of Saints Peter and Paul.
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15
Telegraph Hill quarter
The steep hill over the bay, with wooden houses along the Filbert Steps and wild parrots.
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16
Coit Tower building
The concrete tower on top of Telegraph Hill, with murals inside.