Thinking of going on an educational trip soon? Interested in stimulating those brain cells of yours in an outdoor setting? Why not go to Missouri and visit the Gateway Arch of St. Louis? Does it not draw you in and make you curious? It does make you ask questions too like, why was it built, who designed it, and what it symbolizes, right? We now give you a glimpse of that tall steel structure.
The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot monument and is considered the world’s tallest arch, the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere, and Missouri’s tallest accessible building. The arch is located on the banks of the Mississippi River and it rises above the city skyline.
Construction of the arch began on February 12, 1963, and was finished on October 28, 1965. It was opened to the public on July 24, 1967. Thirteen million dollars were spent just for the construction of the arch.
Why was it built? In 1993, civic leader Luther Ely Smith envisioned that building a memorial at the t. Louis riverfront would both revive the riverfront and stimulate the economy. The idea was then accepted and its inception shortly followed. The Gateway Arch was also constructed as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. It symbolizes the pioneering spirit of the men and women who won the West, and those of a latter day to strive on other frontiers. The arch has become the iconic image of St. Louis as well.
Visitors can enter the arch from an underground visitors center and can travel up to the observation deck at the top in a 40-passenger tram that runs inside the arch. Near the top of the Arch, passengers exit the tram compartment and climb a slight grade to enter the observation area. Sixteen windows per side are seen there which offer views up to 30 miles of the area.
Interested in visiting the place to learn more about the history or just to simply appreciate its beauty? Visit the Official website at: http://www.gatewayarch.com/
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