How Much Do You Really Know About San Francisco City Hall?
San Francisco City Hall is one of the most iconic buildings in San Francisco, but you might not know everything about it. This article will tell you some interesting facts about this modern architectural marvel that you might not already know!
San Francisco's city hall is built on an entire block of land near the Civic Center District. However, it has been speculated that portions of Central America were once where San Francisco now stands. It was named Yerba Buena by Spanish Captain Juan Bautista de Anza in 1776, and was later renamed Saint Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi by Father Luis Gil y Taboada after New Mexico Governor Pedro Fermín de Mendinueta started calling it so in 1777. It became San Francisco officially in 1846, after the Mexican-American war.
San Francisco City Hall is the oldest city hall building west of the Mississippi River still existing, and second oldest city hall overall next to Philadelphia City Hall built in 1901. The number "2" was carved into California's state seal above its entrance to represent being the second state capital, because California has been a state for only about 51 years of U.S. history!
The design of San Francisco City Hall looks very similar to Independence Hall in Philadelphia where the United States Declaration of Independence from Great Britain was signed. A bald eagle wherever you look on both buildings symbolizes America's freedom from Europe and monarchy rule wherever they may have been at that time. This is why there are bald eagles all over San Francisco City Hall and the U.S. Capitol building and wings of the White House, because these buildings represent America's freedom from European rule!
San Francisco's current city hall was built in 1915 and its original blueprint has been lost to history. Its construction began quickly on December 8th, 1913 after plans were laid out by Victor Hammer (brother-in-law to architect Louis Christian Mullgardt) on July 13th, 1913. It cost $3M USD to build at that time which is equivalent to about $75 million in today's dollars, but it was worth every penny back then considering how much more expensive things used to be before inflation! Although it took less than 3 years to build this building, modern skyscraper construction cycles are more like 7-8 years on average because of increased complexity in planning and approvals.
San Francisco City Hall is one of the most earthquake-resistant buildings in all of California, which is part of the reason why it's still standing 100 years later after its completion! When you come visit San Francisco, please make sure to take a tour inside San Francisco City Hall whenever you get the chance so you can learn even more about this architectural masterpiece!
Why Get Married at San Francisco City Hall?
Getting married in San Francisco City Hall is a great idea for two reasons. First, it's an experience unlike any other. Second, you can do it in about an hour.
If you take the time to research your different marriage options, you'll find that getting married in City Hall consists of quite a few perks. The first reason why getting married in San Francisco City Hall is ideal is because it's an experience unlike any other . Let's look at just what makes this option so unique;
To get married at San Francisco City Hall, couples must complete their application three months prior to the wedding date. This process includes filling out paperwork and paying fees totaling $90 ( if it's not peak season) Once completed, couples are allowed to schedule an appointment, from which they'll be escorted into the Municipal chambers room to sign their marriage license.
The second reason why getting married at San Francisco City Hall is ideal is because you can do it in about an hour.
Here's why: If you want to get married in this one of a kind location but don't have three months to prepare, there is another way. And that's by scheduling a "Civil Ceremony," wherein couples can sign their marriage license and then marry immediately in the City Hall rotunda . The process takes about an hour and costs $140 ( if not peak season)
If you're considering doing your wedding at San Francisco City Hall , it might be helpful to look at upcoming dates for when weddings are prohibited. Weddings can be held Monday through Friday from 8:30am-12pm and 2pm-5pm, as well as weekends from 9am-3pm.
Are You Looking for a Wedding Photographer You Can Trust?
The team at San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photography are specialists in capturing the beauty of your wedding day in the magnificent surroundings of City Hall. We serve both local and destination wedding clients from all over the world. Photography packages are available for just Ceremony coverage or all-day premium photo tours with transportation included! No matter what package you select, you will get absolutely stunning photographs that exceed your wildest dreams. Contact us today!