Attractions

New York has the Empire State Building.  Chicago has the Sears Tower.  St. Louis has the Gateway Arch.  Seattle has the Space Needle.  Many cities have tall buildings from which visitors can get a birds-eye view of the city and its surrounding area.

Did you know that Minneapolis has a beautiful building that offers this feature?  It’s no longer the tallest building in the city, although it held that title for 43 years, and it still stands as the second-tallest skyscraper, behind the Empire State Building.

Foshay Tower. Photo by minnemom.

The Foshay Tower was built by Wilbur Foshay and opened in 1929.  Its grand opening was grand indeed, and included a march written especially for the occasion by John Philip Sousa.  Shortly after the building opened, the stock market crashed and Foshay lost his fortune and was convicted of fraud.

The building itself was inspired by the Washington Monument’s obelisk shape, and stands 32 stories tall.  In 2008, renovations were completed and the tower reopened as part of the W Hotel.

Today, visitors can once again ascend the elevators to the 31st floor, where there is a small museum and access to the observation deck for a beautiful view of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding area.  The admission fee is paid at the hotel’s welcome desk in exchange for a key that allows elevator access to the observation area.

Foshay Tower Observation Deck. Photo by minnemom.M

If you’re a fan of tall buildings, don’t miss the Foshay Tower.  Although no longer the tallest in Minneapolis, it is still elegant and an icon in downtown Minneapolis.

Information credits:  Wikipedia, Foshay Tower, Foshay Tower.