288 DAYSSan Francisco · 1915
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Triumphal arch · The Walled City

Arch of the Rising Sun

The eastern triumphal arch of the Court of the Universe, built entirely of wood and crowned by the colossal Nations of the East.

The Arch of the Rising Sun at night
The Arch of the Rising Sun at nightWillard Worden, 1915, public domain

The arch closed the east side of the Court of the Universe and opened into the Florentine Court, and through it to the Court of Abundance. Barry's architect-guide described it as the Arch of Constantine and the Arch of Titus 'all over again.' But Todd notes a 'rather daring innovation': between the outer pairs of genii sat trios of jalousied Moorish windows, which gave the arch a feeling of depth and mystery, 'as though they were windows in the gate house of some forgotten Asiatic fortress.'

Its engineering was bold for timber. Buildings this size would ordinarily be steel, Todd notes, but western framers had long, heavy lumber, and both great arches were 'made of wood throughout,' built as post-and-truss boxes strong enough to carry the enormous plaster groups on top.

Literary inscriptions, chosen by Porter Garnett, gave the arch an Asian theme. On its east face, toward the Florentine Court, were passages from Firdausi of Persia, Zuhayr of Arabia and King Phra Ruang of Siam. High on the court side were Confucius ('They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it'), the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, and the Japanese poet Hitomaro.

At a glance

  • Built by F. Rolandi's firm as part of the Court of the Universe contract (Todd vol. 2).
  • The great east and west arches took about 28 sticks of dynamite apiece, fired by one electrical contact (Todd vol. 5).
  • About May 20, 1916, the arch was blown down and the Nations of the East 'bowed slowly forward in a long descending arc,' holding their positions until nearly on the ground (Todd vol. 5).
  • Many thousand feet of serviceable lumber were salvaged from the wreck and stacked east of the Yacht Harbor (Todd vol. 5).
The Arch of the Rising Sun with the Nations of the East
The Arch of the Rising Sun with the Nations of the EastCardinell-Vincent Company, 1915, public domain
Willard Worden, Arch of the Rising Sun at Night, Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915
Willard Worden, Arch of the Rising Sun at Night, Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915Willard Worden, 1915 · Public domain

Afterward

Dynamited about May 20, 1916 (Todd vol. 5).

Sources