Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, Observation tower in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, United States

The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun is a five-story observation tower and chapel on Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, reaching 30 meters. It is built of pink granite quarried on the mountain, with steel, cement, iron and brass, and no wood or nails. Rough-cut gray blocks form the square shaft, which narrows into a turret with a conical roof and a flag. A stone parapet with small square merlons edges the base roof.

Spencer Penrose began building the tower before 1935, and it was completed and dedicated on September 6, 1937. Will Rogers, a friend of the Penroses, died in a plane crash in Alaska on August 15, 1935, while construction was underway, and the shrine was named for him. The remains of Spencer and Julie Penrose lie in the chapel below the first level.

The interior walls display murals depicting Native American scenes, Zebulon Pike's expeditions, and the historical development of the Pikes Peak region. These artworks form a visual narrative about early Colorado history.

Visitors reach the tower through Cheyenne Mountain Zoo at 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, with access included in the zoo entrance fee. The path to the tower runs through the upper section of the zoo grounds and requires some walking time.

The lower portion of the structure houses the tombs of Spencer and Julie Penrose, flanked by European art pieces from the 15th and 16th centuries. This combination of burial site and collection makes the tower an unusual example of a private mausoleum with public access.