San Diego in San Diego County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
California Quadrangle
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 26, 2018
1. California Quadrangle Marker
Inscription.
California Quadrangle. . Built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the Plaza de California and its surrounding buildings created a grand entrance to the Exposition, announced by the ornate west archway. The California Building and Tower stand at the north, while the Exposition's Fine Arts Building and the non-denominational Saint Francis Chapel enclose the south side. , , The State of California commissioned the California Quadrangle for the Exposition as a permanent addition to Balboa Park. The architecture incorporates elements of Spanish Colonial Revival, Plateresque, Mission and Churrigueresque styles. California history is told in the rich cast-stone ornamentation of the building facade through representations of missionaries, explorers, kings, and symbols of Spain, Mexico, California and the United States. , , Decorated with locally manufactured tiles, the dome design echoes that of the Church of Santa Prisca in Taxco, Mexico. The Latin inscription at the base of the dome translates as: “A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil, and honey.” The California Tower is 208 feet tall and houses a carillon rather than bells. , , The California Quadrangle is regarded as the Spanish Colonial Revival masterpiece of Exposition architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue. Along with the Exposition as a whole, it incorporates design principles developed by 16th Century Spain for its colonial cities. The romantic architecture style, perfected for the San Diego Exposition, surged in popularity after 1915 and remains influential. The California Quadrangle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the Plaza de California and its surrounding buildings created a grand entrance to the Exposition, announced by the ornate west archway. The California Building and Tower stand at the north, while the Exposition's Fine Arts Building and the non-denominational Saint Francis Chapel enclose the south side.
The State of California commissioned the California Quadrangle for the Exposition as a permanent addition to Balboa Park. The architecture incorporates elements of Spanish Colonial Revival, Plateresque, Mission and Churrigueresque styles. California history is told in the rich cast-stone ornamentation of the building facade through representations of missionaries, explorers, kings, and symbols of Spain, Mexico, California and the United States.
Decorated with locally manufactured tiles, the dome design echoes that of the Church of Santa Prisca in Taxco, Mexico. The Latin inscription at the base of the dome translates as: “A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil, and honey.” The California Tower is 208 feet tall and houses a carillon rather than bells.
The California Quadrangle is regarded as the Spanish Colonial Revival masterpiece of Exposition architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue. Along with the Exposition
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as a whole, it incorporates design principles developed by 16th Century Spain for its colonial cities. The romantic architecture style, perfected for the San Diego Exposition, surged in popularity after 1915 and remains influential. The California Quadrangle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Location. 32° 43.888′ N, 117° 9.126′ W. Marker is in San Diego, California, in San Diego County. Marker is on El Prado, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1350 El Prado, San Diego CA 92101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 26, 2018
3. California Quadrangle Marker
Photographed By Adam Margolis, October 29, 2022
4. California Quadrangle Marker
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 26, 2018
5. California Tower
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 26, 2018
6. Peak of California Tower
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 26, 2018
7. Cupola of California Building
Harry Cassie Best (Image courtesy of California State Library), 1916
8. Poster: San Diego 1916 Exposition
"Poster advertising the "New International Exposition" with "Dedication "March 18th". Artist, H. C. Best. Shows Spanish Colonial Revival buildings on the exposition grounds with flower-lined road in foreground. Shows the California Building with its distinctive bell tower and dome and the Cabrillo Bridge."
Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 18, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 302 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on December 18, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 4. submitted on November 3, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 5, 6, 7. submitted on December 18, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 8. submitted on December 21, 2018. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.