The world's tallest arch, The Gateway Arch looms at 630 ft (192 m) and is the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. It was designed by a Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen in 1947 after extensive planning by the government and a design competition that took 3 years. The construction of the arch commenced in February 12, 1963 and concluded in October 28, 1965, despite various delays and lawsuits that staggered the process.