Portal of the Folded Wings

Located less than half a mile from the arrival end of runway 33 at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California lies an aviation memorial with an unusual name: the Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation. The 75-foot-tall domed structure was built in 1924 as the entrance to Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery. On December 17, 1953 (the 50th anniversary of the Wright brothers first powered flight), it was dedicated by aviation enthusiasts to honor pioneers of American aviation.

The elaborate structure is composed of marble and mosaic, and it is decorated with many sculpted figures. It was designed by the architect Kenneth MacDonald Jr., working in conjunction with the sculptor Federico Girogi. In 1998 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Just outside the shrine itself lies a 21-foot long replica of the Space Shuttle, which was installed as a tribute to the two crews who lost their lives in the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia disasters.

The shrine and the surrounding Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery make a serene place for planespotting. When dropping off a friend for his flight out of Hollywood Burbank Airport, we arrived a bit early, so we stopped at the shrine and spent some time watching the planes coming in to land on runway 33.

For more information, check out the shrine's website at: http://www.portalofthefoldedwings.net/

Until next time, keep looking to the sky and keep dreaming.

- Matt