Description:
During the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, a number of impressive buildings were constructed. The designer intended them to slowly degrade and resemble ancient Rome by the end of the exposition as he believed every big city should have some ruins. However, one building still exists today (though it has been renovated and rebuilt several times) – the Palace of Fine Arts, designed by Bernard Maybeck.
The Palace of Fine Arts is a 162-foot-high open rotunda with a lagoon on one side and exhibition center on the other. It features impressive columns and archways and is a piece of architecture one might expect to see in a fantasy film. In fact, it has appeared in several movies over the years and continues to be used as a venue for important events, both public and private.
Originally, the Palace of Fine Arts was used to house exhibits during the Panama-Pacific Exposition. This included paintings and other artwork. In the decades following the exhibition, the Palace of Fine Arts has stored World War II military vehicles, limousines for UN statesmen, and more.
The Palace of Fine Arts was designed as a quiet place away from the bustling exposition. Today, it continues to bring peace and tranquility to all those who visit.