The Palace and the Wetland: A Story of Beauty and Loss

What does my heart long to say?

Over the past few days, we’ve been van camping in the city of San Francisco. This morning, I woke up to the sight of the Palace of Fine Arts. My first impression was awe—how grand the architecture is! And yet, what captivated me even more was the life teeming in the small pond just in front of the palace. Herons, ducks, songbirds, and crows moved about with such grace, coexisting in harmony amidst the city's chaos. It was both exciting and bittersweet. While I marveled at their resilience, I felt my own yearning to escape the overwhelming cityscape and return to nature.

Curiosity led me to research the history of this place, and I learned that the land beneath the Palace of Fine Arts was once a wetland. This vibrant ecosystem had provided a sanctuary for a diverse array of species, supported migratory birds, and served as nurseries for fish. Wetlands play such a crucial role in filtering water and mitigating floods, their value extending far beyond what meets the eye.

Suddenly, the transformation of this wetland into an urban space felt not just misguided but deeply unsettling. Of course, this was a common trend in the early 20th century—a time when expanding cities prioritized development over the natural world.

The Palace of Fine Arts stands today as a cherished cultural and architectural landmark, but I can’t help mourning the loss of what came before. As I watch the birds here now, I can’t help but imagine how many more once thrived on this land, their songs filling the air, their lives untouched by human ambition.