Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles

This structure, located atop Mt. Lee in Griffith Park , is perhaps the most enduring symbol of Hollywood. The nine 50-foot (15 meter) letters can be seen from all over the L.A. basin, and occasionally even from passing aircraft. Originally constructed in 1923 and reading "Hollywoodland," it was actually a promotional tool meant to draw attention to housing developments in a nearby section of the Hollywood Hills. By the 1970s, however, the letters were in pretty bad shape, so the city decided to reconstruct it and began promoting it as a tourist attraction. Check website for further details regarding the Hollywood Sign.