Most Visited Architecture In The USA

Someone’s favorite architectural structure is of course subjective, but there is a way to quantify how popular a building or landmark is, and that’s by how many visitors flock to it. Today we are going to look at the top 5 most visited structures in the USA.

1. The White House- If you’re talking most visited structures in the United States, the White House tops the list. Thousands upon thousands flock to get a glimpse of the White House daily. The official home was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban and then later rebuilt after the British attack in 1814. There is way too much history to type out on our blog so we encourage you to check out this link to learn more: www.history.com/topics/landmarks/white-house

2. The Empire State Building- This is no doubt one of the most famous buildings not only in the USA, but in the world. Standing at 102 stories and 1,250 feet, the Art-Deco style tower from William F. Lamb still stands as an American icon, as much due to employing up to 3,400 workers a day during its Depression-era construction as well as the look that has been a staple of the New York City skyline for 80-plus years. The Empire State Building boasts roughly 4 million visitors per year.

3. Golden Gate Bridge- The Golden Gate Bridge being in the top 5 should be no surprise. This is one of the most famous bridges not only in the USA, but in the world. The first construction on the bridge began in 1933 during the heart of the Depression and provided thousands of much-needed jobs. The bridge opened in 1937 to its first patrons. The Golden Gate Bridge draws a whopping 10 million visitors per year.

For more information check out: www.history.com/topics/landmarks/golden-gate-bridge

4. The Gateway Arch- The groundbreaking for the Arch took place in 1959 but exaction didn’t actually begin until 1961. It was a slow process to make sure the build went smoothly and most of all safely. The Arch is comprised of 142 steel pieces and took about 200 professionals to build it. The Arch was completed on Oct. 28, 1965. There are about 2-3 million people who visit the Arch annually.

5. The Alamo- This may come as a surprise but the Alamo boasts 3 million visitors annually and is home to one of the most famous battles of all time. Fray Antonio de Olivares led the Franciscan missionaries who founded the San Antonio de Valero Mission in 1718. The Spanish began construction of the current stone mission complex in 1744. The complex included a chapel, a convento (priest's residence), small dwellings, storehouses, and workshops.