Sather Gate facts for kids
|
Sather Gate and Bridge
|
|
.jpg)
Sather Gate in 2012
|
|
| Location | University of California campus in Berkeley |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | John Galen Howard |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival-Beaux-Arts |
| MPS | Berkeley, University of California MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004649 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | March 25, 1982 |
Sather Gate is a famous entrance at the University of California, Berkeley campus. It stands between Sproul Plaza and a bridge over Strawberry Creek. This beautiful gate helps lead people into the heart of the university. A kind lady named Jane K. Sather gave the money for the gate. She wanted to honor her husband, Peder Sather, who was important to the university's early days. Sather Gate is recognized as a special historical place in California and on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
The Story of Sather Gate
Sather Gate was finished in 1910. It was designed by John Galen Howard and built by Giovanni "John" Meneghetti. The gate's style is called Classical Revival-Beaux-Arts. This means it looks like grand old Roman and Greek buildings.
On top of the gate, there are eight special carvings called bas-reliefs. These carvings show figures representing different subjects studied at the university. There are four men for law, letters (writing), medicine, and mining. There are also four women for agriculture, architecture, art, and electricity. Professor Earl Cummings sculpted these figures.
For many years, from 1910 to 1977, these carved panels were taken down. They were put back up in 1979.
Gate's Changing Role
When Sather Gate was first built, it was the main entrance to the university from the south. Over time, the university grew bigger. Now, the gate is further inside the campus, away from the city streets of Berkeley. Sproul Plaza is now between the gate and the city.
Restoring the Gate
From October 2008 to April 2009, Sather Gate was carefully repaired. Workers focused on its bronze and steel parts, which had worn out over time. Even during the repairs, people could still walk and drive through the gate. The company that managed the restoration, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., won an award for their work in 2010.
Sather Gate and Free Speech
Sather Gate is a very important part of Sproul Plaza. This area has always been a big center for student activities. It was also the site of many protests during the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s.
The gate is famous for being in one of the most well-known photos from the Free Speech Movement. This picture, taken in the fall of 1964, shows students walking through the gate. They are carrying a banner that says "Free Speech."
