Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Gates transformed Central Park into a flowing river of saffron. Installed in February 2005, 7,503 gates draped with vibrant fabric lined 37 kilometres of the park's winding pathways. First proposed in 1979, the project took 26 years to receive permission. The gates stood five metres tall and used 5,390 tons of steel. The entire project was self-financed by the artists. Open for just 16 days, The Gates attracted over four million visitors.