March 8, 2015
St. Louis, Missouri is home to the world’s tallest arch. The “Gateway Arch” is 630 feet (192 m) long with a carbon steel interior and stainless-steel exterior. It is also the western hemisphere’s largest man-made monument. Designed by architect Eero Saarinen in 1947 as part of a design competition, the arch’s construction did not begin until 1963. It was completed two years later. The arch stands on the founding site of St. Louis, on the West bank of the Mississippi River. It is a monument to the westward territorial expansion of the United States of America, dedicated to the American People and particularly in honor of the country’s third President, Thomas Jefferson. It is a symbol of American culture. A lighting system was implemented in 1999, and to this day the stainless-steel exterior reflects many different colors depending on the occasion.
