"Gateway to the West": what symbolizes the highest monument of the USA.

In the city of St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the most original monuments in the United States, which is also the highest in the country. This arch, called the "Gate of the West" (or "Gateway to the West"), contains a unique elevator mechanism inside and serves as an excellent viewing platform for thousands of tourists visiting this object. The building itself is part of the Jefferson National Memorial and is its most famous part.

The city of St. Louis, located on the banks of the Missouri River, has become a starting point in the development of the western parts of the country. The active resettlement of Americans to the West began after the end of the Civil War between the North and the South, when thousands of people in search of luck and a new life sought the Pacific coast. In honor of the development of new lands and in memory of those brave pioneers who inhabited the Wild West, a grandiose arch was erected.

Architect Eero Saarinen and the layout of the arch "Gate of the West"

Her project was developed by the Finnish architect Eero Saarinen back in 1947, but the construction of the arch in St. Louis began only in February 1963. The erection of a grandiose monument, whose height is 192 meters, lasted 2.5 years. The construction of the arch was carried out simultaneously from two sides, and there were even skeptics who doubted that they would eventually meet at the appointed place.

The initial arch design did not include an elevator, and visitors were doomed to a tiring climb in order to enjoy the magnificent view. Like many monuments around the world, the arch "Gate of the West" was to become a viewing platform. But at the last moment, the author of the project Eero Saarinen decided to place the elevator inside. The designs available at that time did not allow the elevator to be built in: several companies involved in the construction of elevators could not offer a single suitable option. Since the project was already approved and it was too late to make structural changes to the arch itself, it was decided to place an unusual elevator, authored by engineer Richard Bowser. This elevator, combining a standard cable elevator and a Ferris wheel cabin, works in the arch today.

Interestingly, the distance between the two ends of the arch coincides with its height and is also equal to 192 meters. The structure itself is sheathed in stainless steel. At the top there are viewing windows that offer spectacular views of the city of St. Louis and the Mississippi River.