Comin' at ya with another Seattle post!
There was a few attractions we wanted to see, but each one ranged from $20-$35 EACH. We opted for the City Pass which was $89 per person. WAY cheaper! One of those things on the pass was none other than the Seattle Space Needle.
The Space Needle was opened in 1962 for the World's Fair. At this time it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi at 605 feet tall, 132 feet wide, and weighing a shocking 9,550 tons. When we looked at pictures taken from here, Mt. Rainer was typically visible. Sadly it was too cloudy for us to get a peak at it.
Of course a building of this magnitude needs to be able to withstand mother nature. It was built to withstand a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, and a category 5 hurricane without sustaining any significant structural damage. I mean, you'd think having a 5850 ton foundation it could survive a lot of things. The foundation started as a 30 ft deep, 120 ft wide hole in the ground. It took 467 concrete trucks to fill it! The structure is bolted to the foundation with 72 bolts that are 30 FEET LONG.
Sadly, when we went most of the viewing deck was under construction. Meaning we could only get about a 180 degree view of the city rather than 360. The restaurant was also closed because they are replacing the 1.5hp motor that rotates the restaurant, and they are also replacing the restaurant floor with see through glass floors. In addition, the wire on the outside with be replaced with all windows, so it will be completely enclosed. This project is set to be finished by May 2018.
I'm not sure we would spend the money to see this again. MAYBE after the construction is finished, but it isn't likely. It was a fun one time visit, and there was some cool history behind it, but the $22 could probably be used for something else cooler. We did have a great time experiencing one of Seattle's iconic attractions!
