Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Schwen The Gateway Arch (also known as the "Gateway to the West") in St. Louis, Missouri, is the largest man-made landmark in the United States, standing at 630 feet. It was built between 1965 and 1973 by architect Eero Saarinen and engineer Robert Maillart to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Quebec's settlement by Jacques Cartier and used iron and glass instead of stone for its construction.
The Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) in Chicago is the second-highest building in America, measuring 1,453 feet from base to top of antenna. It was also built by Saarinen and Maillart and opened in 1974. The third-highest building in America is the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which are 443 feet high. Both buildings were designed by Ove Arup & Partners and constructed between 1993 and 1998.
The Fourth Street Bridge in Denver, Colorado, is the highest bridge in North America, spanning the Arkansas River with a main span of 1,020 feet that connects downtown Denver to the South Platte River Valley. It was completed in 1891 by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad company.
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest skyscraper in the world, measuring 2,717 feet from base to rooftop.
The Gateway Archway The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot (192-meter) landmark in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. It is the world's tallest arch, the biggest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere, and Missouri's tallest accessible building, clad in stainless steel and designed in the form of a weighted catenary arch. The Gateway Arch was built between 1965 and 1973 by John Burgee and his team of architects and engineers at the direction of Mayor Dorene A. Laughlin.
Its height makes it the second-highest structure in the state after the Space Needle, which is also in Seattle. The Arch weighs nearly 2,000,000 pounds (907,540 kg), and its diameter at the top is 106 feet (32 m). There are actually three arches connected by bridges, but the center span is closed to motor vehicles.
It is estimated that when the Arch was first constructed, it was the largest single-span concrete arch in the world. Today it is still holds this record, although there is another arch in France that is larger. The Arch has been called many things over the years including "America's Most Historic Monument", "A Living Memorial to the American Dream", and even "The World's Largest Roller Coaster".
In fact, the Arch has been so popular with tourists that it has helped make the city of St. Louis one of the most visited places in Missouri.
By the Numbers: The Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch is the highest landmark in the United States, at 630 feet tall. It is as long as it is wide. Its shadow covers 1.8 million square feet, which is the same size as Chicago's population. Its peak to peak span is 90 feet. It took more than 30,000 bolts to build the arch. The foundations of it were dug out by hand.
The Gateway Arch was designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen (1898-1950). It was built between 1965 and 1972 by the Associated General Contractors of Missouri and Illinois for $15 million ($ today). Funding came from several sources including a federal loan program for local governments created by Congress in 1956 called the Public Works Act. The act allowed states to apply for grants to fund their own projects without going through the federal government. Louisiana got around this rule by forming a commission to select an architect for its project. The state chose Saarinen because of his involvement with the International Style of architecture, which had become popular after World War II.
In addition to being an architect, Saarinen was also a major contributor to industrial design. The "jet vapor" form of the arch was one of his designs.
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