Like the seals on 1 Mission Street and the walruses on the old Alaska building, the heraldry on the Standard Oil Co’s facade is an ode to the company’s livelihood. Though very few of the buildings in the Financial District still operate in their original enterprises, thankfully much of the ornamentation on these historic sites has not been lost to renovation.

The seals by the entrance of the 700 Mason apartment complex hold blank shields, perhaps once decorated with the logo for the building’s original company. Behind them are complex motifs and gilded carvings, which architects usually borrowed from ancient sources.

The Tree of Knowledge, or Tree of Life, is an important motif across religions. This one at 450 Sutter is designed with Mayanesque details and is one of the more unique examples of plants and foliage being used in ornamentation downtown. While map point number 10 and 11 are in the borders of the Nob Hill, they are great examples of ornamentation and are easily accessible from the FiDi.

The Kohl Building is one of the more detailed buildings in the area, but the skulls on top, called bucranes, often go unnoticed. They are a nod to classic Greek and Roman architecture, representing the skulls of sacrificed animals that were hung on doric temples to provoke wealth and prosperity.

The lion and unicorn flanking the clock on the former Royal Globe Insurance Company’s appear on the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. The lion and unicorn are symbolically opposite, and possibly meant to symbolize the balance of power needed in good business. The building is now mostly residential, but the clock between the two animals helps FiDi patrons get to work on time.

Eagles have always had a prominent place in American architecture and symbolism. These, perched atop the Federal Reserve Building over a frieze of lion heads are meant to symbolize power and strength.

The horned animals on the PG&E building are High Sierra Bighorn Sheep, peaking out of branches of California live oak. They are an anthropomorphic symbol of power and California, fit for the story of PG&E. Because they are on the south side of Market Street, the PG&E building is a block out of the FiDi.

Like the Bighorn Sheep, the Grizzly Bears on the PG&E building are another reference to California and its formidable animals. Besides the animal heads, the company’s headquarters are decorated on all sides with terra-cotta embellishments and is a California take on Beaux-Arts style.

The Audiffred Building in the Embarcadero has been a watering hole and maritime commercial building since the mid 1800s. The seals over the door look over the bay, without which San Francisco would not be what it is today. While this building is technically south of the Financial District, its historic prominence and heavy adornment are worth noting on this list.