Union Square, San Francisco

A central plaza named for pro-Union rallies held here before the Civil War, this square forms the core of San Francisco's shopping and theater district. At its center rises a granite column crowned by a bronze Victory figure commemorating Admiral Dewey's fleet at Manila Bay. Surrounded by department stores, hotels and the cable-car lines, the granite-paved terraces host art fairs, ice skating in winter and constant streams of visitors. Palm trees and open steps make it a favored spot to pause amid the surrounding retail bustle.