Exploring Historical San Francisco

San Francisco is undoubtedly one of the most striking cities in the world, with its Victorian homes lined up along hilled streets, cable cars, an iconic bridge coupled with a stunning coastline, it seems to be a city that has it all.

If you are able to stay in one of the stunning San Francisco accommodation offered by thesqua.re you’ll be in the right place to appreciate it.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

It is also on of the most diverse cities in the US, a national and international hub for the LGBT community with an unforgettable nightlife and bars and restaurants that set rather than follow trends.

Nearby it has one of the most famous and well respected wine regions in the Napa Valley and aside from leisure activities, it is also home to some of the world’s biggest companies. Apple, Facebook and Google have headquarters just along the coast at Silicon Valley.

Wine Growing Region in Napa Valley, California Napa Valley, California

How did this great city come about? What is there still left to see from its glorious past?

As with a lot of cities, San Francisco gained prominence thanks to its success in maritime trade, a success it owes to its location and natural harbour. Thanks too to the 1849 gold rush, it overnight became one of the largest and most important cities in the west of America.

San Francisco Harbour San Francisco Harbour

The city continued to rise until the famous earthquake of 1906 virtually destroyed it in its entirety. Whilst water mains ruptured and flooded the city it was the subsequent fires that ended up destroying nearly 80% of the buildings

Read More: 10 Cafes in San Francisco That Everybody Loves

Such was the importance of the city however, it was almost totally rebuilt by the beginning of the 1920s.

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

Despite this earthquake and others that followed, there are plenty of historic places that can still be visited in and around San Francisco. Perhaps the most famous building in the city is located just a little way off the shore on Alcatraz Island.

The famous prison was first established in 1868 as a military jail, converting to a federal prison in 1934 and remaining so until it closed in 1963. The abandoned prison and the oldest working lighthouse on the US West Coast are now the most visited tourist attraction in the San Francisco area, where people can hear fascinating stories of escapes, a bird man and of course, Al Capone.

Mission San Francisco de Asís Mission San Francisco de Asís

The oldest remaining building in San Francisco is the Mission San Francisco de Asís. Although the mission itself was established in 1776, the current building dates from 1791.

Read More: Why Business Travellers Should Visit San Francisco

As well as this mission there are other historic religious monuments that are now dedicated landmarks. These include Saint Patrick’s Church, Old Saint Mary’s Cathedral and Old Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Cathedral amongst others.

St. Patrick Church, San Francisco St. Patrick Church, San Francisco

Other non-religious buildings of historical value include the Bank of California Building, a pillared Roman style tower in the financial district dating from 1908; the South San Francisco Opera House from 1888, reputed to be the oldest theatre in the city; and the Audiffred Building, a striking building built in 1889 which now houses a similarly striking restaurant.

The rumours surrounding the latter include that it only survived being pulled down by the fire department after the 1906 earthquake to stop the fire spreading, because the bar owner got the firemen so drunk on free handouts!

If you want to stay in style in a San Francisco serviced apartment then contact thesqua.re, they have accommodation all over the city, in the Financial District, Japantown, Mission District and many more locations.

 

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