Union Square
San Francisco
Union Square is a public square of about one hectare in the heart of San Francisco. It is the center of the city's shops, hotels and theaters, and cable cars run past it.
A park born in 1850
Long ago there was a sand dune here. In 1850, when John Geary was mayor, the square was set aside for everyone as a public space. Its name recalls the big gatherings of citizens in 1860.
The column with Victory
In 1903 a column about thirty meters tall was unveiled in the middle of the square. On top stands a statue of winged Victory, the work of Robert Aitken.
A square made new
In the 1900s the square changed its look several times, following the ideas of its designers. The big shop windows all around made it famous across the country. In 2002 the square reopened, renewed, with wide open spaces.
The cable cars of Powell Street
Two cable car lines run along the west side. Two blocks south, at the corner of Powell and Market, operators turn the cars around. Cable cars were born in the city in the 1800s, and in 1964 they became a national historic site. Today they are a symbol of the city all over the world.
