The Tower of Americas is a giant observation tower-restaurant situated in the Hemisfaire district on the southern part of Downtown San Antonio, Mexico, United States. The first Tower of Americas to be built was the Tower of Hope. It opened in 1917 and quickly became a favorite tourist attraction, especially with those looking for a good place to eat. The Tower of Americas is a massive structure that stands approximately 750 feet tall. It is built from a series of five large and very slender spindles and the entire construction stands on a foundation that runs across the middle of the floor. Click here for facts about San Antonio, TX .
The Tower of Americas is named after an indigenous Mayan building from the 15th century called the Temple of the Sun. The first architecture to use this building material is known as Pumaxalli, which stands for the Sun Temple. The tower itself is very impressive. It has been designed in a very traditional style and features five spindles that are all identical. The design is unique, however, it is much smaller than the other traditional buildings that are used in Mexico. Because of its design, the tower is only seen at nighttime and is not considered sacred like the other traditional Mayan structures. Click here to read about History and Facts About The Alamo.
This Tower of Americas was created by San Antonio architects O’Neil Ford, Frank J. Riddick and Richard J. Carleton, who are the sole architects to have designed all the other San Antonio buildings. They also designed the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and the AT&T Center for the Performing Arts. The building is currently managed by the Mexican consulate in New York City and is a popular tourist attraction that features a restaurant called the Tower Restaurant. Tourists often come to San Antonio to go sightseeing, shopping, and enjoy the local culture, but the Tower of Americas is one of the most unique attractions.