Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It’s a U.S. historical landmark, has been featured in many movies and receives 1.5 million visitors a year. How is that a stretch?
I live in Boston, and actually prefer Boston overall as a city (but still love San Francisco), and have absolutely ZERO issue admitting that San Francisco wins the "iconic structure" competition pretty handily. The Golden Gate Bridge alone is one of the most recognizable in the world. I think the cable cars are up there as well. Alcatraz may not quite be on the same level of instant recognition as the other two, but it's on par with Boston's most recognizable at least, and you could easily argue it's more recognizable (I think it is).
There's no debating that Boston has a ton of history and the Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, the Old State House, Fenway, the U.S.S. Constitution, etc. are all major landmarks and recognizable to many. But if you were to take a random sampling of people from all over the world and show a handful of pictures of the landmarks in either city, San Francisco would easily be more recognizable to the majority.
Not to be a contrarian, but I think Harvard's campus is better known and more recognizable than Alcatraz on an international scale. It's not a landmark, but it should definitely be included in this conversation. What should also be included is the freedom trail, the USS constitution, Fenway Park, and the Boston Common/Public Gardens (first public park in the US).
Two of America's greatest cities.
I don't even think most Americans could tell Harvard campus apart from Yale, Princeton, etc..or any other old university honestly let alone foreigners.
I don't even think most Americans could tell Harvard campus apart from Yale, Princeton, etc..or any other old university honestly let alone foreigners.
The John Harvard statue? Trust me, foreigners know about that.
I don't even think most Americans could tell Harvard campus apart from Yale, Princeton, etc..or any other old university honestly let alone foreigners.
For distinctive and easily recognized university campuses, SF (Bay Area) trump Boston (metro) ad both Cal and Stanford are highly recognizable campuses.
For distinctive and easily recognized university campuses, SF (Bay Area) trump Boston (metro) ad both Cal and Stanford are highly recognizable campuses.
Maybe Stanford, style is more distinct. I honestly don't think most people could recognize university campuses, it's just not something you see much of in the movies or media. In movies they are either generic, made up universities or don't really say.
Maybe Stanford, style is more distinct. I honestly don't think most people could recognize university campuses, it's just not something you see much of in the movies or media. In movies they are either generic, made up universities or don't really say.
You can be recognizable in other ways, right? It doesn't need to be from a picture. That was really what started the Harvard conversation.
By the way, who the hell knows what Alcatraz looks like from the outside? I've been there, and I have no idea.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
