Originally sketched on a place mat, the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, stands 605 feet tall, stoically watching over the Puget Sound city and its coffee-drinking urbanites as the city's internationally recognized symbol.
Built in 1962 for the World's Fair, the Space Needle was the futuristic dream of Edward E. Carlson. The Needle, as locals refer to the structure, cost $4.5 million and took 13 months to build. If opened on April 21, the first day of the World's Fair; the elevators were put in just the day before.
A hole measuring 30 feet deep by 120 feet wide and filled with cement, which weighs as much as the above-ground structure, establishes the Needle's balance and protects the soaring symbol against storm winds and tremors. Engineers designed the Space Needle to withstand winds as high as 200 mph.
Two large renovations have updated the Space Needle since its construction. In 1993, computerized elevators were installed to move visitors safely to the top at 10 mph, the speed of a raindrop falling to the earth. In 2000, the city renovated the interior and exterior, including the rotating SkyCity restaurant and SpaceBase retail store, for $20 million.
From the observation deck at the top, you can see 360-degree panoramas. To the west, the blue Puget Sound waters lap against the bay and the Olympic Mountains crest the horizon. To the east, Mount Rainier, the tallest mountain in the Cascade range, stands out among the gray tops of the downtown buildings and skyscrapers.
The Space Needle is open Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. As of 2010, adult tickets are $18 per person. Discounts are available for students, youth and seniors.
