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Space Needle
The Space Needle is a tower located in the Seattle Center, Washington. It is the symbol of Seattle and also the main landmark of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It was registered as a Historic Landmark on April 19, 1999. At present, the Needle is owned by the Space Needle Corporation.
The Space Needle was designed by Victor Steinbruek. The final design of the Needle was a compromise between the two leading designs by Edward Carlson and John Graham. This tallest building located west of the Mississippi River was built by Howard. S. Wright Construction Co. The height of the Space Needle is about 605 feet (184 m) and its width is approximately 138 feet (42 m) at its widest point. It weighs 9,550 tons. Initially, it was built with an aim to withstand powerful earthquakes of up to 9.5 magnitude and strong winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h). This tower also has 25 lightning rods on the roof to protect it from lightning damage.
The main features of the Space Needle include the Sky City Restaurant at 500 feet (152m), an observation deck at 520 feet (160 m), and an elegant gift shop. The Sky City Restaurant in the hovering disk of the Tower rotates 360 degrees in 47 minutes. It was a replacement of the two restaurants- the Eye of the Needle and the Emerald Suite. There is a safety grid installed around the observation platform. BASE jumping is an illegal activity and prior consent is needed for the same.
The top of the Needle offers breathtaking views of the Downtown Seattle skyline, Elliott Bay, Cascade Mountains, Olympic, Mount Rainier, and Mount Baker. One can reach the top of the Space Needle using elevators that travel at 10 mph (16 km/h). These elevators descend down at the same speed. Legacy Light or the Sky beam is a powerful beam of light that shines skyward from the top of the Space Needle to honor special occasions and national holidays in Seattle.
- Address:
219 4th Ave N,
Seattle, WA 98109
- Telephone: (206) 905-2100
- Website: www.spaceneedle.com
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