The famous ruins of San Francisco were designed to be fake
In short: Designed by Bernard Maybeck for the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition, this landmark was intended to mimic a decaying Roman ruin. Because it was constructed from wood and plaster, the structure eventually crumbled. It was only saved from destruction by a preservation league before being entirely rebuilt with permanent materials.
Maybeck sought to create a "quiet zone" for fairgoers, drawing inspiration from Piranesi's etchings of the Temple of Minerva Medica and Böcklin's Symbolist painting *Isle of the Dead*. Built from wood and "staff" (plaster and burlap-type fiber) for the exposition's duration, the structure was not durable; by the 1950s, it had become a literal crumbling ruin. Though saved from demolition by the Palace Preservation League, it was completely rebuilt between 1964 and 1974 using steel I-beams and poured-in-place concrete. While it retains the iconic 162-foot-high rotunda and lagoon, it lacks several original features, including the dome murals and two end pylons of the colonnade.
The site has served a bizarre array of functions over the decades. W.P.A. painters received contracts to swap out the old rotunda ceiling murals throughout the Great Depression. Eighteen illuminated tennis courts occupied the exhibition space between 1934 and 1942. The military took over the site for jeep and truck storage during World War II. While the United Nations formed, the building functioned as a motor pool for statesmen's limousines, following its use for military vehicle storage.
In the post-war era, the building cycled through roles as a city Park Department warehouse, a telephone book distribution center, and even a temporary Fire Department headquarters. It later hosted the Exploratorium interactive museum (1969) and a 966-seat theater (1970). It has even appeared as a cinematic backdrop for everything from *Vertigo* to *Game of Thrones*.
The Palace's design emphasizes a specific aesthetic of reflection and contemplation. The artificial lagoon was designed to echo classical European settings, providing a mirror surface to reflect the grand buildings and offer an undisturbed vista. Its ornamentation includes panels representing "The Struggle for the Beautiful" (symbolizing Greek culture) and allegorical figures representing Contemplation, Wonderment, and Meditation.
The building's legacy is so significant that it inspired a smaller replica at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim. That replica served as a theater entrance until it was demolished in 2009 to make way for a *Little Mermaid* dark ride, though the rotunda entrance remained as a repainted landmark.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Palace of Fine Arts
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