Monumental Structure of Palace of Fine Arts

Built around an artificial lagoon in 1915 for art exhibitions. Lagoon is home to many swans, ducks, geese, and turtles.

The Palace of Fine Arts is composed of a wide, 1100 foot pergola, an arch formed by rows of Corinthian columns framing a wide walkway, around a central rotunda situated by the water. The lagoon was intended to echo those found in classical settings in Europe, where the expanse of water provides a mirror surface to reflect the grand buildings and an undisturbed vista to appreciate them from a distance ~wikipedia