Built in 1962 for the World Expo, the Space Needle is Seattle is recognized around the world because of its distinctive structure, which allows for it to rise more than 600 feet above the Seattle Center. For the past 50 years, the Space Needle has been the most famous landmark of the city in the Pacific Northwest, drawing immediate associations with Seattle whenever and wherever it's seen. Nothing else dares compete with the Needle.

Part of what makes the Needle so distinctive is how skinny it is. Though it stands more than 600 feet tall (605 feet at its highest point), it's only 138 feet wide at its widest point. The structure weighs more than 9,500 tons. When it was completed it was the tallest structure anywhere west of the Mississippi River and was celebrated because it could withstand winds up to 200 miles per hour and 9.1-magnitude earthquakes. Twenty-five lightning rods on the top of the Space Needle prevent lightning damage.

From the top of the Space Needle, visitors can take in 360-degree views of the city, the mountains in the distance, Elliott Bay, and more. A rotating restaurant on the top of the Needle is just one of several attractions, which also include a gift shop on the ground floor, an observation desk, and more. During the World Expo, it's estimated that about 20,000 people used the elevators in the Space Needle every day. While the traffic has since dropped dramatically, the Needle still sees plenty of feet.

The Space Needle also got its first cleaning in 46 years, when in 2008 German-based cleaning company Karcher - monument cleaning specialists - scaled the needle with ropes and power washed the whole thing.

Visitors can reach the top of the Space Needle in only 43 seconds thanks to elevators that move at 10 miles per hour. Despite the quick climb, it can take a while to reach the top of the tower because of hour-long waits that often wind around the base of the tower.

The Space Needle was designated a historic landmark on April 19, 1999, by the City's Landmarks Preservation Board.