Palace of Fine Arts

This was one of ten palaces built for San Francisco's 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Designed by Bernard Maybeck, this central pagoda is surrounded by a gigantic order semi-circular pergola, echoed on the other side by this lake. It is a remarkable piece of sculpture, reminiscent of a Roman ruin, cleverly playing with reflection and with the light and shade of the harsh sunshine. I had a very clear memory of it from my earlier visit to the city in 1976 and it was a pleasure to walk among its columns again.