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Glorious beams of golden light stream though the colossal arches of the rotunda at the Palace of Fine Art in San Francisco during sunset. The light of the elegant structure is reflected in the small lagoon on the west side of the City by the Bay. One of the more popular locations for photography it has become a favorite for wedding photography and artists. You can often see a groom with his new bride posing for pictures below the massive columns and decorative panels or an artist at the edge of the lawn with easel, canvas and brush in hand. It is also quite popular with a number of local and migrating bird species which often decorate the lake and shoreline.

This stunning structure built in 1915 for a world's fair celebrated the completion of the Panama Canal and the recovery of San Francisco from the Great Earthquake of 1906. The structure was intended to be demolished following the fair but became such a favorite with the city that it was saved while the fair was still underway. Just east of the Golden Gate Bridge it is one of San Francisco's most popular landmark buildings.

© Darvin Atkeson
LiquidMoonlight Studios