Space Needle
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Considered to be an icon of the city, it has been designated a Seattle landmark. Located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, it was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors.
| Space Needle | |
|---|---|
In 2011 | |
| Record height | |
| Tallest in Seattle and Washington state from 1962 to 1969[I] | |
| Preceded by | Smith Tower |
| Surpassed by | Safeco Plaza |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Observation tower |
| Address | 400 Broad Street Seattle, King County, Washington, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 47.6204°N 122.3491°W |
| Construction started | April 17, 1961 |
| Completed | December 8, 1961 |
| Opening | April 21, 1962 |
| Owner | Space Needle Corporation |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 605.00 ft (184.404 m) |
| Top floor | 518 ft (158 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Lifts/elevators | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John Graham & Company |
| Structural engineer | John K. Minasian Victor Steinbrueck |
| Main contractor | Howard S. Wright Construction Co. |
| Website | |
| www | |
| Designated | April 19, 1999 |
| References | |
At 605 ft (184 m) high the Space Needle was once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. The tower is 138 ft (42 m) wide, weighs 9,550 short tons (8,660 metric tons), and is built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude, as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake.
Elevators take visitors to an observation deck 520 ft (160 m) above ground in 41 seconds, which offers panoramic views of the downtown Seattle skyline, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay, and various islands in Puget Sound. On April 19, 1999, the city's Landmarks Preservation Board designated the tower a historic landmark.