West side - Plaza de Panama and California Tower - Balboa Park - San Diego California
Standing in the Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park in San Diego, California, and looking west.
The street to the far left is El Prado, the central avenue through the former grounds of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915-1917. The loggia (the tunnel-like structure) in lower center is the south side of the former Science & Education Building (demolished in 1964).
The structure to the right (with banners hanging from it) is the west wing of the San Diego Museum of Art. This wing was built in 1966.
The tower and dome in the distance are part of the California Building, which now houses the San Diego Museum of Man. (This museum took the exhibits in the old Science & Education Building and transferred them to the new museum.)
The California Building was designed by Bertram Goodhue (who designed or oversaw the design of the entire exposition), and is in a syncretic style that blends Gothic, Plateresque, Baroque, Churrigueresque, and Rococo design. Molded concrete ornaments in the shape of figures busts, birds, plants, shells, shields, and other decorations were designed and executed by the Piccirilli Brothers (Attilio, Furio, Thomas and Horatio).
The tower's basic structure is Spanish style, but its details and even color are far more Mexican in style. The dome is also a hodge-podge of styles, including the Byzantine Hagia Sophia and several Italian Renaissance churches.
West side - Plaza de Panama and California Tower - Balboa Park - San Diego California
Standing in the Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park in San Diego, California, and looking west.
The street to the far left is El Prado, the central avenue through the former grounds of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915-1917. The loggia (the tunnel-like structure) in lower center is the south side of the former Science & Education Building (demolished in 1964).
The structure to the right (with banners hanging from it) is the west wing of the San Diego Museum of Art. This wing was built in 1966.
The tower and dome in the distance are part of the California Building, which now houses the San Diego Museum of Man. (This museum took the exhibits in the old Science & Education Building and transferred them to the new museum.)
The California Building was designed by Bertram Goodhue (who designed or oversaw the design of the entire exposition), and is in a syncretic style that blends Gothic, Plateresque, Baroque, Churrigueresque, and Rococo design. Molded concrete ornaments in the shape of figures busts, birds, plants, shells, shields, and other decorations were designed and executed by the Piccirilli Brothers (Attilio, Furio, Thomas and Horatio).
The tower's basic structure is Spanish style, but its details and even color are far more Mexican in style. The dome is also a hodge-podge of styles, including the Byzantine Hagia Sophia and several Italian Renaissance churches.