Downtown Denver Historic Walking Tour. Downtown Denver is in many ways the ideal urban center. How so? It’s packed with attractions, including museums, historic sites, parks, public art and more. It’s got a vast array of shopping, dining and nightlife options. It’s safe, friendly and extremely walkable – if you’re spending the day downtown, you can park your car in the morning and not have to use it again all day. This walking tour will take you to some of the best spots in Downtown Denver, where the city’s past and present come together in utterly unique ways. Many of the sites and buildings are listed as official Denver Landmarks, or included in the National Register of Historic Places. Many also have historic markers and plaques noting their original intended purpose and construction dates. Use the 16th Street Mall as your anchor. Designed 25 years ago by I.M. Pei, the 16th Street Mall is a mile-long pedestrian promenade lined with outdoor cafes, flower baskets and retail shops, making it the perfect starting point for an adventure-filled day. Free shuttles travel both directions the entire length of the Mall from early morning to late at night. They stop at every intersection so it’s easy to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. Grab yourself a cup of coffee and let the day begin.

• LoDo

  This area comprises a 25-block area that just a decade ago, wasn’t much more than abandoned warehouses and rail yards. Today, it has been restored and renovated to make LoDo (lower downtown) one of the liveliest areas in the city – not to mention one of the most historic.

• Union Station at 17th & Wynkoop Sts.

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  Start your tour of the area at Union Station. At its height, 70 trains a day at one time passed through Denver. Not quite as many trains pass through Union Station these days, but the beautiful building (originally constructed in 1881) still attracts visitors with its Breaux Arts-style design, expansive interior and stone clock tower. Check out the building’s inspiring façade and enjoy historic photographs and exhibits placed throughout the station. Then, cross Wynkoop Street and learn about the early history of the area from historic markers that can be found on buildings at 1801 Wynkoop (The Littleton Creamery – Beatrice Warehouse) and 1635 17th Street (the Denver City Railway Building).

• Wynkoop Brewery at 18th & Wynkoop Sts.

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  The next stop is at the Wynkoop Brewery, which is housed in the superbly renovated J.S. Brown Mercantile Building, built in the late 19th century. One of the city’s most popular brewpubs (and also the biggest), the Wynkoop was founded by current Denver mayor John Hickenlooper. Check out the classic architecture and stop in for a cold one.

• Coors Field at 20th St., between Wynkoop & Blake.

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  Keep walking down Wynkoop towards Coors Field, the home of the Colorado Rockies, the Major League Baseball team established in 1993. Though it was constructed in the mid-90s, the ballpark has already earned a reputation as one of the best in the country, combining state-of-the-art technology with a nostalgic ambiance. It was modeled after the Camden Yards Ballpark in Baltimore, and its red brick construction matching the red brick architecture of much of LoDo. Don’t miss the baseball art displays as you enter from Wynkoop.

• Oxford Hotel located at 17th & Wazee Sts.

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  Your next LoDo stop is the classic Oxford Hotel, the oldest still-standing hotel in Denver, constructed in 1891. You’ll find a historic marker on the outside that will give you the lowdown on this LoDo gem. Inside, take a look at the Cruise Room, an Art-Deco bar that was designed after a lounge on the Queen Mary cruise ship.

• Rockmount Ranch Wear on Wazee St.

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  Just across the street from the Oxford on Wazee is the famed Rockmount Ranch Wear. A Denver original, fashion pioneer and CEO of Rockmount Ranchwear, 107-year-old Papa Jack Weil invented the western snap-button shirt and opened shop back in 1946. He has sold his shirts to presidents and rock stars alike including Eric Clapton and Bruce Springsteen. Stop by the flagship store and museum to browse the incredible selection of western-style shirts, hats and accessories. Arrive early and you may even get to chat with the oldest working CEO in America himself.

• Larimer Square between 14th and 15th Sts. on Larimer St.

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  More Denver history can be found in Larimer Square. It was here that the city got its name, when in the 1850s, representatives from various settlements in the area got together over a barrel of whiskey and decided to consolidate their resources under the Denver name. Denver was originally named after James Denver, the Kansas Territorial Governor at the time after the merging of the settlements Denver City and Auraria. Today, Larimer Square is one of the most stylish spots in the city, with high-end fashion boutiques, charming restaurants and cafes and much more. Note: If you continue walking north on 15th St., you can get to such popular attractions as the REI Flagship Store, the Children’s Museum of Denver and up-and-coming neighborhoods like Highlands.

• Tattered Cover Book Store at 16th and Wynkoop.

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  On the corner of 16th and Wynkoop, you’ll encounter one of Denver’s most treasured attractions – the independently owned and operated Tattered Cover Bookstore. Of course, calling Tattered Cover merely a “bookstore” is doing it some injustice. Its multileveled location is filled wall to wall with books, magazines, greeting cards, gifts and souvenirs. There’s also a great café serving coffee, pastries and sandwiches. This is a great spot to take a break in and settle in with a good book – browsing is strongly encouraged! Also enjoy the architecture. This building once housed the Morey Mercantile warehouse business which thrived in the late 19th century.

• Museum of Contemporary Art | Denver at 15th & Delgany

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  Much of what you’ll find in LoDo still retains its historic feel, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for modern architectural wonders. Case in point: the recently opened Museum of Contemporary Art | Denver, at 15th and Delgany, designed by cutting edge London architect David Adjaye. Its sleek exterior houses works by some of today’s most innovative artists.

• Millennium Bridge located at 16th and Chestnut Sts.

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  Connecting Riverfront Park and the 16th Street Mall is the Millennium Bridge, constructed in 2002. This unique tubular steel footbridge was designed to resemble the mast of a great ship, stretching an impressive 200 feet into the sky. Either climb the stairs or take the glass elevator to the top. From there, you’ll be treated to a great view of downtown, as well as the Platte River. On the other side of the bridge, Riverfront Park is a wonderful spot to relax and enjoy the gently rolling Platte River.

• Theatre District/Center of Downtown

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  OK, you’ve explored LoDo – time to head to the center of Downtown. Either walk up 16th Street, or hop on the free 16th Street Mall Shuttle. The Theatre District is a few blocks west on 14th Street, highlighted by the incredibel Denver Performing Arts Complex.

• Daniels & Fisher Tower at 16th & Arapahoe

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  Hear those bells tolling? That’s the D&F Tower (Daniels & Fisher), one of 16th Street’s most distinctive buildings. When it was completed in 1910, this was the highest building west of the Mississippi River. It is modeled after The Campanile (St. Mark’s Bell Tower) at the Piazza San Marco in Venice and its four clocks (one for each side) are a whopping 16 feet high. So if you’re caught without a watch, just look up. The Tower was built to house one of Denver's largest early 19th century department stores. Today, the basement of the D&F Tower has been renovated into Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, an entertainment venue.

• Denver Performing Arts Complex/Colorado Convention Center at 700 14th St.

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  Ground zero for the Denver performing arts world is, naturally, the Denver Performing Arts Complex (DPAC). Located in the heart of downtown at 14th and Curtis Streets, the DPAC houses the 2,700-seat Boettcher Concert Hall (the nation’s first in-the-round concert hall), the Helen G. Bonfils Theatre Complex (with four separate stages), the 2,830-seat Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom and the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The Denver Center Theatre Company makes its home here, and since 1979 has created an impressive body of classic and contemporary drama and world premieres. DPAC also presents award-winning touring productions: The revival of Hello, Dolly starring Carol Channing, Sunset Boulevard and Disney’s The Lion King have all chosen Denver as the first stop on their national tours. DCA also produces cabaret including I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, which ran for more than four years making it Denver's longest-running musical. The Colorado Convention Center underwent a $340-million renovation completed in 2004. It hosts a wide array of meetgins, events and conventions. Downtown Denver is filled with fun public art – pretty much everywhere you look you’ll see something. Over at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, get an eyeful of the fifty-foot tall “Dancers.” Around the corner at the Colorado Convention Center (14th and California Sts.) is “I See What You Mean,” AKA the big blue bear. Designed by Denver-based artist Lawrence Argent, this curious, 40-foot-tall bear has rapidly become a Denver icon, and is a great spot for a family photo. The public art in Denver isn’t all visual either – stroll down the 1500 block of Curtis Street and you’ll hear Jim Green’s “Soundwalk” – there are speakers under six ordinary-looking grates connected to a tape recorder in a nearby building, playing 40 to 100 selections per hour, including rumbling, gurgling water and other whimsical sounds.

• Equitable Building at 730 17th St.

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  The Equitable Building, built in 1892, is designed in the lavish Italian Renaissance Revival style and features some stunning stained glass windows inside. Look for the historic marker on the exterior to learn more about this downtown landmark.

• Paramount Theatre at 1621 Glenarm Pl.

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  The Paramount Theater is one of many historic theaters in Denver. Built in 1930, the Paramount was originally a classic Art Deco movie house; today, it hosts an amazing array of live music and performing arts. Look for the historic marker on the exterior to learn more.

• The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa located at 321 17th St.

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  Built in 1892, the Brown Palace was the world’s first atrium hotel with a seven-story open space topped with a stained glass skylight. The building was designed by Frank Edbrooke, who designed many other Denver landmarks. The opulent Brown Palace had humble beginnings: The land it was constructed on was originally a dairy farm.The hotel has hosted presidents, princes, kings, queens, rock starts and famous athletes for more than a century. Check the hotel’s website for a schedule of free, open-to-the-public historic tours.

• Trinity Methodist Church at 1820 Broadway

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  Designed in 1887 by Robert Roeschlaub, Colorado’s first licensed architect, the Trinity Methodist Church is a splendid example of the Gothic Revival style. The church was constructed entirely out of rhyolite from Castle Rock, Colo. and features a stained glass window by the Tiffany Company. Head inside to gawk at the gargantuan Roosevelt Pipe Organ – with its network of thousands upon thousand of pipes, it can make quite a sound.

• Golden Triangle Museum District

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  At the end of the 16th Street Mall you’ll come upon the Golden Triangle Museum District, one of Denver’s cultural hubs, with museums (naturally), restaurants and shopping options galore. The neighborhood is also home to several wonderful art galleries, all worth a visit.

• Civic Center Park located at 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway

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  The splendid Civic Center Park results from the inspiration fostered by the "City Beautiful Movement" following the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Elements of well-designed and beautiful parkways, fountains and tree landscaping were merged together in this space and in many other U.S. city park beautification programs.Tthe City and County Building, completed in 1932, anchors the west end of this park. During the summer months, Civic Center Park hosts multiple fun festivals. From Civic Center Park you can look over many of downtown’s architectural gems, including the Denver Public Library designed by Michael Graves, the original 28-sided Denver Art Museum designed by Gio Ponti, the new Hamilton building at The Denver Art Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind (see below) and the neo-classical City & County Building. Nearby you’ll find the Byers-Evans House, which was built in 1883 and is now a museum, and the U.S. Mint, modeled after the Plazzo Riccardi in Florene, which was built in 1904. Civic Center Park is also full of public art, from Old West-inspired pieces to modern wonders.

• Colorado State Capitol Building at 1475 Sherman St.

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  Modeled after the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., the 272-foot-high dome of Colorado’s State Capitol is covered with 200 ounces of 24kt. gold leaf. However, the truly priceless material is inside where the entire world’s supply of Colorado rose onyx was used as wainscoting. No more of the ultra-rare, rose-colored stone has been found since. Construction on the building began in 1886 and was finally completed in 1908. Free tours of the Capitol offer this and other tidbits of information as well as visits to the Senate and House of Representatives chambers.

• Denver Art Museum on 13th Ave. between Broadway and Bannock St.

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  One of the city’s newest architectural jewels, the striking Hamilton Building opened to rave reviews in October 2006. Its bold, jagged look was inspired by the Rocky Mountains and geometric rock crystals found in the foothills near Denver. Of course, the original building built in 1971 and designed by Italian architect Gio Ponti remains an impressive part of the Denver landscape, and is renowned for its collection of Native American art and artifacts. The art inside DAM is impressive, but the buildings themselves are attractions all on their own.

• Denver Public LIbrary at 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway

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  Just a few steps from the Denver Art Museum is the Denver Central Library, one of the greatest public libraries in the country, and home to several stunning public artworks. The library, designed by Michael Graves to mimic a city skyline, is famous for its Western America archives and photographs. Inside, check out Edward Ruscha’s amazing murals. Outside, you’ll gape at Donald Lipski’s The Yearling, featuring a life-size horse perched atop an enormous red chair. Also don’t miss Barry Rose’s fun At The Library piece, featuring hundreds of ceramic books.