Boston Citgo Sign

About the Citgo Sign

Boston is represented by the iconic Citgo sign, a massive neon landmark that has illuminated the Kenmore Square skyline since 1965. This 60-foot-tall sign, visible from Fenway Park and throughout the Back Bay, has become an enduring symbol of Boston's identity, appearing in countless films and serving as a beloved beacon for Red Sox fans and city residents alike.

Perched atop 660 Beacon Street in Kenmore Square, the double-faced sign began in 1940 as advertising for Cities Service, whose regional headquarters sat below, and was rebranded with the company's red-triangle Citgo trimark in 1965. Framed in television broadcasts above Fenway Park's left-field wall and passed by Boston Marathon runners in the final mile, it became a navigation marker and shorthand for the city. It went dark in 1979 during the oil crisis and was relit on August 10, 1983, after public protest halted plans to dismantle it. LEDs replaced the neon in a restoration unveiled in March 2005. Claims that a batted ball ever struck it are legend; the sign stands roughly 1,200 feet from home plate.