Seattle's most iconic landmark, the 184 m (604 ft) tall Space Needle was the tallest building in Seattle and Washington state from 1962 to 1969 until it was surpassed by Safeco Plaza. The observation tower weighs 9,550 short tons (8,660 tonnes) and is built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude. The construction of the tower began on April 17, 1961 and concluded on December 8, 1961.