Modeled after the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., the dome of Colorado’s State Capitol is covered with 200 ounces of 24-kt. gold leaf. However, the truly priceless material is inside where the entire world’s supply of Colorado onyx was used as wainscoting. No more of the ultra-rare, rose-colored stone has been found since. Free tours of the Capitol offer this and other tidbits of information as well as visits to the Senate and House of Representatives chambers.
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.
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 Mountain and geometric rock crystals found in the foothills near Denver. The art inside is impressive, but the building itself is an attraction all on its own.
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.
Built in 1892, this was the world’s first atrium hotel with a seven-story open space topped with a stained glass skylight. 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 open-to-the-public historic tours.
Hear those bells tolling? That’s the D&F Tower, one of 16th Street’s most distinctive features. 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 basement of the D&F Tower has been renovated into Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, an entertainment venue, featuring swing bands, burlesque, magic shows and more.
Not quite as many trains pass through Union Station as they once did in its heyday, but the beautiful 1894 building still attracts visitors with its Beaux 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.
Connecting Riverfront Park and the 16th Street Mall, 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.