T his is one of only two observation towers in all of Texas. It was built for the 1968 San Antonio World's Fair, which was held in the surrounding HemisFair Park. At the top is a restaurant and a two-level public observation deck offering excellent views of the city of San Antonio, and the five military bases surrounding it. The construction allows some of the best unobstructed views from any tower in the world, in spite of the sometimes bland scenery. The upper level is inside, behind huge windows that provide fence-free viewing. From there, stairs lead to the lower level, outside, which keeps people in with vertical iron bars, thus ensuring safety while still allowing maximum viewing opportunities. The Donauturm could learn a lesson here. The building sits on a base made of 2,400 tons of concrete, which has the effect of placing the building's center of gravity underground, rather than somewhere along its 750-foot height. The observation and restaurant complex is called the "tophouse." It has 19,000 square feet of floor space, and was built on the ground, then raised slowly into position as the center column was built. The tower is owned and operated by the city, so its admission fee is cheap. That low admission may explain why its restaurant is so heavily promoted, so the city can make up the money it spends on maintenance.
Robert Moseley, Jr
November 27th, 2002
My boy's 5&6 said it was really great to be in one of the tallest buildings in San Antonio and they will never forget it!
Add your corrections, comments, reviews, or thoughts about this
building. Simply fill out the form below.
Your name:
E-mail address:
Your nation:
Rate this structure:
15
Your comments:
Messages without valid e-mail addresses, or containing profanity
will be automatically discarded. You're wasting your time, not ours.
Robert Moseley, Jr