The Gateway Arch (also known as the St. Louis Arch) is a national monument in Missouri, USA. The nation’s tallest monument at 630 feet, the Gateway Arch has beckoned visitors for more than 40 years with its iconic, awe-inspiring shape. The vision of renowned architect Eero Saarinen, the Gateway Arch commemorates Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis’ role in the westward expansion of the United States of America.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians[]
The Lightning Thief[]
While on their quest, Annabeth insists upon stopping at the Gateway Arch, because of the architecture. The group visits the underground museum, where Grover starts to feel that something is wrong. After there is no room in one of the elevators back down, Percy stays behind to take the next one. While alone he discovers that one of the other visitors was Echidna, the mother of monsters. Echidna was accompanied by her dog revealed to be the Chimera. After a short battle with no victory, Percy falls into the Mississippi River, where a messenger of Poseidon tells him to go to Santa Monica Beach.
The Last Olympian[]
The Gateway Arch is seen once again while Typhon heads across the United States to the Empire State Building. This was seen on Annabeth's shield.
Percy after falling from the arch.
The Heroes of Olympus[]
The Son of Neptune[]
After Frank and Hazel go to find Percy who had fallen off a glacier, he was sitting on a piece of ice waiting for them to return. When they make a comment about how far he fell, he claims it was nothing, and he fell at least twice as far from the St. Louis Arch, which shocked both Hazel and Frank.
Disney+ series[]
In the Disney+ series, the Gateway Arch is depicted as a temple of Athena, with Eero Saarinen implied to have been one of her demigod children. While escaping from Echidna and the Chimera, Annabeth brings Percy and Grover to the Arch as sanctuary, claiming monsters cannot enter the temple. However, because Annabeth had allowed Percy to mail Medusa's Head to Mount Olympus, an insulted Athena has revoked the temple's protection, allowing Echidna and the Chimera to attack the Arch.
Trivia[]
- While it is referred to as the Gateway Arch in The Lightning Thief, Percy calls it the St. Louis Arch in The Son of Neptune.
- The books depict the Arch as directly above the Mississippi River. In real life, however, the river is not directly below the Arch, and so it would be impossible for Percy to fall directly into the river from the Arch. Adaptations have rectified the problem:
- In the graphic novel, Grover tries to catch Percy with the Winged Shoes, but drops him into the water.
- The Disney+ series has Poseidon use a waterspout to grab Percy in midair and pull him into the river.