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Dominated by Coit Tower, TELEGRAPH HILL is a quiet cluster of hill-hugging homes with breathtaking views. The most direct path up the hill is Filbert Street, a very steep climb past clapboard houses and flowery gardens up to Telegraph Hill Boulevard. One alternative is to drive, but there’s only a handful of parking spots atop the hill, and the wait for a place can verge on the eternal. You could catch the infallibly infrequent Muni bus #39 to the top, but the ten-minute walk up is faster – if tiring – and allows you to drink in the panorama of North Beach and the bay below. Once atop the hill, it’s easy to see why it was used as a signal tower for ships entering the Golden Gate. A watchman atop the hill would identify the boat’s origin and name via the flags flying on the mast, and relay the information via telegraph to the docks along Fisherman’s Wharf. A plaque in front of a statue honoring Christopher Columbus in Pioneer Park, which lies at the foot of the tower, marks the watchman’s spot. Within Pioneer Park, and the best viewpoint in all of Telegraph Hill, is Coit Tower (daily 10am–6pm; $3.75), a 212-ft pillar bequeathed to the city by Lillie Coit. While waiting to ascend to the top, take some time to admire the murals at the interior’s base, site of a WPA project that employed artists to decorate public and government buildings. Students of famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera – known for his links with Russian Communists – were selected to adorn the tower’s entranceway with frescoes. |
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