Ghirardelli Square, Historic retail complex in Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, United States.
Ghirardelli Square is a commercial complex in the Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood of San Francisco, United States, spread across several interconnected brick buildings. The site sits on a hillside overlooking the bay and includes shops, dining options, and open plazas between the structures.
The buildings were constructed starting in 1893 as a chocolate factory and remained in operation until the 1960s. After closure, William Roth purchased the site and had the structures converted into a shopping and dining area, creating an early case of industrial reuse.
The name comes from Domenico Ghirardelli, who bought the block in 1893 for his chocolate company. The lower floors of the Clock Tower, renovated in 1965 by Benjamin Thompson and Associates, now hold the main chocolate shop. In the plaza stands Ruth Asawa's 1968 bronze fountain Andrea, showing two mermaids, one nursing a merbaby, among frogs and turtles.
The complex opens daily around midday and closes in the evening, with exact times varying by season. A parking garage on Larkin Street offers spaces, and the site is within walking distance of other waterfront attractions.
The bronze statue Andrea, installed in 1968 by San Francisco sculptor Ruth Asawa, shows two mermaids, one nursing a merbaby, among frogs and turtles. Landscape architect Lawrence Halprin called it unserious and demanded its removal; many San Franciscans, especially women residents, rallied to keep it.
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