Gateway Arch

No visit to St. Louis is complete without a stop at the Gateway Arch, the iconic symbol of St. Louis and the tallest monument in the United States. The steel structure was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

Also called the Gateway to the West, St. Louis' best-known landmark looms 630 feet high and measures 630 feet at its base. The arch honors Thomas Jefferson — who, as president, presided over the Louisiana Purchase, which acquired Missouri and much of the west — and also the westward expansion itself. The Gateway Arch is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, a 91-acre park on the banks of the Mississippi River not far from where explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set off to explore the American West.

Each year, 1 million visitors ride up either of the arch's legs to the top, while millions more glimpse the arch only from outside.

Getting to the top is easy. Trams head to the top from both the south and north legs. Trams leave every 10 minutes. Tickets for the tram rides to the summit are free for those 2 and under, $5 for those 3–15 and $10 for everyone else. You can buy tickets in advance online or by calling (877) 982-1410.

An observation deck at the summit boasts 32 windows that allow a beautiful view of St. Louis, the Mississippi River and southern Illinois (including Cahokia Mounds). On a clear day, you can see 30 miles!

The observation deck isn't accessible for wheelchairs, scooters or strollers.

Each of the Gateway Arch's legs features a different display. The entrance to the south leg explores life in 19th century St. Louis, while the north leg features the final days of finishing the arch in 1965. 

The Gateway Arch is open daily from 8:20 a.m. to 9:10 p.m. through Sept. 7. Winter hours are 9:20 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. The last tram of the day leaves 45 minutes before closing time.

Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel designed the arch — technically called a catenary curve — in 1947; however, construction didn't begin until 1963. The Gateway Arch opened to the public in 1967. The arch is carbon steel with a stainless-steel exterior. Even in a 150-mile-per-hour wind, the Gateway Arch would only sway nine inches either way!

- by Ivonne Rovira, Saint Louis Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Ivonne Rovira

A graduate of the prestigious Columbia University School of Journalism in New York City, Ivonne Rovira worked as a reporter for the Miami News, The Miami Herald and The Associated Press. She has written articles for The National Catholic Reporter and The Courier-Journal. For more than 15 years, Ivonne wrote and edited articles aimed at middle-school children.