Charleston’s own Hollywood sign

Charleston’s got some pretty picturesque spots, but when it comes to finding a landmark that best represents our city– what comes to mind?

We all know the typical spots... the Angel Oak, our skyline of steeples, Charleston- single homes, etc.– but what’s the one place that locals + out-of-towners alike look at and immediately think of CHS?

We asked you what iconic images evoke the spirit of the Holy City… and then ranked them based on your votes. Read on to see the winners.

5️⃣ The Battery

No trip to Charleston is complete without a stroll along the Battery + White Point Garden. The seawall + adjacent park have been around for centuries, and little has changed of the area’s landscape throughout that time.

What you said:
“The Battery is on more pictures and postcards than any of the others due to its history. I’ve been looking at photos of the Battery for close to 40 years.” –@angiepike1 on Instagram

4️⃣ St. Philip’s Steeple

The moniker ‘Holy City’ sticks so well for a reason– that reason being the abundance of steeples in our skyline. Maybe most iconic of those steeples is the one belonging to St. Philip’s Church on Church Street.

3️⃣ The Pineapple Fountain

Pineapples are a symbol of hospitality– and in turn, have become somewhat of a symbol of our city. So does that, by extension, make the famous Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park the icon of icons? We say yes.

2️⃣ Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row may be one of the most famous landmarks in Charleston. And it certainly ranks among the most photographed locales. Read up on its colorful history here.

What you said:

“Not sure someone in D.C. would know our bridge, but everyone knows Rainbow Row.” – @shedoesntknowhowtowhisper on Instagram

1️⃣ The Ravenel Bridge

Built in 2005, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge transformed the Lowcountry skyline– and now, you’d be hard-pressed to find an illustration of Charleston that doesn’t include it. Not to mention, at the time it was built, the bridge was the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere (with a 1,546-ft. span, to be exact). With an overwhelming number of votes, the Ravenel easily sinched the top spot on our list of Charleston icons.

What you said:

“[The Ravenel Bridge] because you can see it from far away like the Hollywood sign.” –@marie.muth on Instagram

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While we love the symbols that define quintessential CHS, it’d be wrong not to pay homage to some of our lesser-known landmarks– those that give our city an extra dose of character. Here are a few of your more eccentric suggestions:

“Round Holiday Inn?” –Corey H. on Facebook

“On 162 as you enter Hollywood and cross the train tracks I’m pretty sure there is a sign that says ‘Welcome to Hollywood, S.C..” It doesn’t get more Hollywood than that, literally.” –@charlestonfreemasons on Instagram

“We all know it’s really the Coburg Cow. Oh, wait. That’s the equivalent of the ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ sign.” –@g_heaton on Instagram

– Jen