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This is one of a series of pages guiding you around Seattle's
viewpoints.
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Seattle Viewpoints
Four Columns Park, Downtown
Location
Corner of Pike Street and Boren Avenue, on the eastern edge of
downtown Seattle.
Admission
Free.
Getting there by car
Click icon to map your route on MapBlast!
Getting there
By bus
Board
any of the eastbound buses on Pike Street, including bus numbers
7 (University District), 10 (Capitol Hill), 11 (Madison Park), 14 (Summit)
and 43 (University District), at the corner of Pike Street and 4th Avenue.
Alight
from the bus at the corner of Pike Street and Boren Avenue.
It is about a 5-minute ride each way, due to traffic rather than distance.
To return by bus, walk one block to north to Pine Street. Take any
westbound buses going down Pine Street, or from Convention Place Station
take any southbound buses going through the bus tunnel (back one stop to
Westlake Station).
On Foot
From the Westlake Center, it is about a 10-minute walk to the viewpoint.
Walk south to Pike Street, then walk uphill along Pike Street for six or
seven blocks. The viewpoint will be just past the I-5 overpass to your
left.
Notes and tips
This
small triangular park takes its name from the rather enigmatic segment of
architecture found there. It overlooks I-5, and is assaulted on all sides
by the noise of traffic. As an open space, it provides a visual link
between downtown and the adjoining neighborhood of Capitol Hill, but does
not offer a place of peace amidst the bustle of downtown. It has seating
and is kept neat and free of trash. However it does not appear to attract
people to spend time there, such as local workers on breaks.
To gain another view of the Space Needle, you might like to continue on bus number 14 (Summit) to Thomas Mini Park.
The Views/
Four Columns Park offers a view of Queen Anne Hill, and of the Space
Needle between downtown buildings. Town planners refer to it as a "view
corridor/ You would probably only come here if you want this particular
angle on the Needle, or you were up at this end of downtown anyway (for
example at the Convention Center). Even this small offering is under
threat from high-rise development, as seen in local debates over the
subject.
The following photos were taken around midday on an overcast day in early March. Click on photo for full-size image.
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