Space Needle, Observation tower in Seattle Center, United States
The Space Needle is a 605-foot (184 m) observation tower at 400 Broad Street in Seattle Center, built for the 1962 World's Fair. Its saucer-shaped top deck, ringed by dark windows on a latticed underside, sits above three white legs that taper upward around a dark open truss core. The deck holds an observation level 520 feet (160 m) up; the former rotating restaurant closed in 2017.
Construction began in April 1961 as a landmark for the Century 21 Exposition World Fair. The tower opened in April 1962 and became a permanent symbol of the city's postwar modernization.
Locals see the tower as a symbol of their city and often gather near it for festivals and celebrations. Visitors experience the relaxed, technology-friendly culture of the Pacific Northwest, where future and nature meet.
Three elevators bring visitors to the viewing deck, with the ride taking less than a minute. On clear days Mount Rainier, the Cascade Range, and Puget Sound are all visible.
The tower is designed to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 9.1, and during the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, water sloshed out of its toilets. Its elevators descend at 10 mph (16 km/h), and the main stairwell has 848 steps from the basement to the top of the observation deck.
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