The heart of San Francisco, where politicians, civil servants, performing arts patrons, book lovers and the homeless all congregate.

by Contributor

In Short
The tree-lined, freshly cut lawn of Civic Center Plaza is surrounded by some of the city's most important institutions. City Hall, retrofitted and gilded in 1999, houses the mayor's office, the Board of Supervisors chambers and a number of other government offices. The nearby Veteran's Building contains the Herbst Theater and a 1,000-seat lecture hall. On the corner of Gough and Van Ness is the modern Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, home of the San Francisco Symphony.