From my first viewing of the movie "The Rock", which stars Nicholas Cage and Sir Sean Connery, I had always been curious about the amazing place where Connery's character is caught after a wild chase involving a Humvee and a Ferrari through the hills of San Francisco. Later today, I'm taking a professional exam at the Presidio, which just happens to be up a couple of blocks from the structure. How could I not take a walk and check it out?
Having done a little research on the building, I had learned that it was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition as a focus for the many works of art to be presented there. It is one of the few surviving remnants of that exposition and has come to be a favorite location for weddings and other ceremonies among the city-dwellers. After getting a look at it first hand, it's not hard to imagine why.
Architecturally, the structure is in the classical European style. A garden and walkway form a wide horseshoe around one side of the artificial lagoon. At the center of the column-strewn walkway stands a large rotunda, which is beautifully ornamented with a number of murals adorning different areas. of the supporting walls and domed ceiling.
A take a few minutes to stroll around the structure admiring it and the abundance of waterfowl enjoying the lagoon before heading back to my nearby hotel room for more studying. It's just a quick diversion from the books, but one well worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment