The Gateway to the West or more commonly known as the Gateway Arch is a popular landmark of St. Louis, in Missouri.

The structure is a part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and was designed by Eero Saarinen who was a Finnish American Architect. The structural engineer who started on the project in 1947 was Hannskarl Bandel.

The iconic structure is 192 meters tall and 192 meters wide, this makes it the tallest monument in America to date. The construction began in 1963 and the arch was completed in 1965. The following year it was open for public viewing.

Each wall of the structure comprises a stainless steel cover which protects a sandwich for the inner walls made out of carbon steel and reinforced concrete.
The core of the arch is a vacuum and supports a transport system which goes all the way to the observation deck which is located on the top of the arch. In addition to this the arch also has an emergency stairwell, in case an evacuation is necessary.
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Even less than a year of completion in 1966, a light aircraft flew right through the arch, since then 10 more light aircraft have flown beneath the arch.

There are many such unique experiences where the arch has played a centre role almost as if it were a play thing. One such moment was when Kennthe Swyers in 1980 attempted to fly onto the arch using a parachute and then jump off onto the ground. Sadly such a feat was not achieved by him and resulted in his death when he slipped down the leg of the arch. In addition the pilot of the plane had his license suspended.

It doesn't stop there in 1984, a man attempted to scale the arch using suction cups positioned on his feet and hands, after climbing 20 feet he was dissuaded from going any further .

There are other landmarks to experience in St. Louise and a day would not be adequate, so tourists should consider checking into a St. Louis hotel. There are many to choose from and a popular option is the Millennium Hotel St. Louis.