Seven hills of Seattle

The term seven hills of Seattle describes the hills that the city of Seattle was built on and around. People do not all agree on which exact hills are included in this group. This idea of a city's "seven hills" has been used for many places, like Rome and Constantinople, not just Seattle. The hills give Seattle its special shape and help explain why some parts of the city are higher than others.

The seven hills

Walt Crowley said the main hills people talk about in Seattle are First Hill, also called "Pill Hill" because of the hospitals there, Yesler Hill (now Yesler Terrace), Cherry Hill, Denny Hill (now the Denny Regrade), Capitol Hill, Queen Anne Hill, and Beacon Hill. These hills are connected to seven special rocks in Seattle's Seven Hills Park.

Other hills sometimes included are West Seattle, Magnolia, Graham Hill, Crown Hill, and Mount Baker.

Geology

Seattle's shape was changed by big glaciers long ago during the ice age. Most of the city's seven hills are called drumlins, like Beacon Hill, First Hill, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne Hill, and Mount Baker. Others, such as Magnolia and West Seattle, are drift uplands.

"Seven Hills of Seattle" annual walk

The Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association (Sister Cities International) holds an annual walk named the "Seven Hills of Seattle". This walk links Seattle with its sister city, Bergen, Norway. Bergen is known as the City of Seven Mountains.