HOLLYWOOD SIGN

Description

Essentials about the Hollywood Sign in brief

This lettering is not just a simple sign, but the landmark of an entire city. Perched high on the Hollywood Hills, the Hollywood Sign is known from countless movies and pictures and has become the symbol not only of Hollywood itself, but of all of Los Angeles. A photo from afar – better up close, of course – is of course a must on any visit to LA.

The history of the Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign has a very trivial historical background that (contrary to popular belief) has absolutely nothing to do with Hollywood’s film industry. In 1923, a brokerage firm erected the “HOLLYWOODLAND” sign on city-owned land in the Hollywood Hills to advertise the purchase of land in this then barren and remote area north of Los Angeles, which was much smaller at the time. On a scaffold made of old telephone poles, pipes, wires and various pieces of wood, countless white metal plates measuring about 90 by 270 centimeters were nailed and the letters were illuminated with a total of about 4,000 incandescent lamps. The lettering mounted on Mount Lee was actually only planned as a temporary measure for a period of one and a half years, but it remained in place and quickly became a symbol of Hollywood as an up-and-coming film location.

In the 1940s, the “H” toppled over, and the other letters began to rot as well. In 1949, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce decided to remove the syllable “LAND” and restore the rest of the typeface. As part of this process, the lighting was also removed. By 1978, the lettering had again largely deteriorated. A quarter of a million dollars was budgeted for a complete rebuild. Hugh Hefner, the legendary founder of Playboy magazine, held a fundraising party at his Playboy Mansion, auctioning off symbolic rights to the individual letters to cover the cost of renovation. The new lettering had a permanent concrete foundation, steel beams and enameled white front panels.

In 2010, Hugh Hefner, with the support of other celebrities, purchased some 56 acres of land on Mount Lee, located to the side and partially behind the Hollywood Sign, to prevent development that would have altered the overall look.

The view on the Hollywood Sign

The view from Hollywood and Highland Center

Because of its exposed location in the Hollywood Hills, the Hollywood Sign is highly visible from many points in Hollywood and the surrounding area. The easiest vantage point to reach is certainly the shopping and entertainment complex of the Hollywood and Highland Center, directly on Hollywood Boulevard. However, the comfortable way to get there is bought with the disadvantage that the distance to the Hollywood Sign is relatively long and due to the often poor air quality of LA, the photos do not always turn out well.

The view from Griffith Observatory

It’s better to get in the car and drive to one of the following three viewpoints, from which you can enjoy a really great view of the Hollywood Sign. The first one is the Griffith Observatory, which is also located in the Hollywood Hills and should be on your list of places to visit during a trip to LA anyway. To the right of the main building, a pretty good view of the Hollywood Sign opens up. The distance from here is much shorter than from the valley, but the viewing angle is quite acute.

The view from the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook

The second best view of the Hollywood Sign is from the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook, which is located above the open-air Hollywood Bowl on famous Mulholland Drive, which winds for miles through the Santa Monica Mountains. The Jerome C. Daniel Overlook can definitely be described as a little insider tip – accordingly, there are few parking spaces available here.

The view from Canyon Lake Drive

The best view of the Hollywood Sign you actually enjoy from Canyon Lake Drive near the Hollywood Reservoir. The address you should enter in the navigation system is “3115 Canyon Lake Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068”. The journey here is a bit more tedious, but you will be rewarded with a great photo op.

The hike to the Hollywood Sign

Previously, the area around the letters was not cordoned off, but this repeatedly led to vandalism, unwanted changes to the lettering, and accidents caused by careless climbers. In addition, there were complaints from residents of neighboring properties because visitors often crossed their properties without permission. The area was therefore fenced off. Since 2000, surveillance electronics such as infrared cameras, microphones and motion detectors have also been installed. So anyone who thinks they have to take a photo right next to the Hollywood Sign had better leave her/his plans in the drawer.

Nevertheless, those who are not satisfied with the view from a distance and want to get as close to the Hollywood Sign as possible, must put on their sports shoes or hiking boots and make their way to the Hollywood Hills. There are three hiking routes to choose from that guarantee great views of the Hollywood Sign and get you close to it: The Mt Hollywood Trail, the Brush Canyon Trail and the Cahuenga Peak Trail. The three trails have ascending levels of difficulty and varying lengths. Detailed information about each trail can be found on the website.