Every city has its central point, and for Los Angeles, it’s situated in the Downtown area (also known as the Civic Center). It’s where business thrives, the city’s energy pulsates, and it embodies the very essence of Los Angeles. To help you explore it, we have compiled guide :
WHAT TO VISIT IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES CITY HALL
The iconic edifice, known as the Los Angeles City Hall, has been featured in numerous motion picture productions, including the famous Spiderman film. Erected in 1928, it was the first skyscraper in the city, standing at a towering height of 138 meters and comprising 32 floors. Until the late 1960s, it held the title of the tallest building in Los Angeles, as the fear of earthquakes prevented construction of taller structures. In 1978, it was designated a Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark. The LA City Hall, situated on Spring Street, is open to the public for free visits from Monday to Friday, between 09:00 to 17:00. We highly recommend visiting for its breathtaking views of the city.
WALT DISNEY CENTER HALL
Walt Disney Concert Hall is one of the largest auditoriums in the city of Los Angeles. This impressive concert hall has a capacity for 2,265 people and, among others, is the headquarters of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Choir. If you visit this architectural work you will be dazzled by its great metal construction . The Concert Hall is considered one of the best music centers in the world as it has truly unique acoustics .
If you visit Walt Disney Center Hall it is important to know that it was financed by Walt Disney’s wife , who wanted to make a donation to the city to commemorate her late husband , who was a music enthusiast. Its first economic contribution was in 1987, but its construction did not begin until 1992 , when enough money was raised . Construction was completed in 4 years, but it was not opened to the public until 2003 . Its designer is Frank Gehry .
Located on Grand Avenue , you can visit the music center with a guide or with a one-hour recording. Tours do not include the auditorium as there are constant rehearsals.
THE GRAND AVENUE
Visiting Grand Avenue in Los Angeles is almost mandatory if you go to Downtown . In addition, the entire avenue has recently been reformed in order to create a focal point in the city. This Grand Avenue project began with the establishment of the Music Center and is inspired by the Champs Elysee in Paris . Grand Avenue has become a large pedestrian area where you can walk and enjoy the charm of Los Angeles .
THE CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF LOS ANGELES
This is one of the best-known churches in Los Angeles , since it is the main church, it is open to the public and admission is completely free . It is a cathedral of catholic origin of contemporary construction , since the old Cathedral of Los Angeles was destroyed with the earthquake of 1994 .
This new church is made up of 12 floors and can accommodate 3,000 people. It is also nice to walk around its surroundings , since it is surrounded by a large garden full of fountains and flowers .
VISIT THE LOS ANGELES MUSIC CENTER
The Music Center of Los Angeles is made up of four spectacular musical centers: Walt Disney Concert Hall, Center Theater Group, Los Angeles Opera and Los Angeles Master Chorale. If you are a music enthusiast visiting the complete Los Angeles Music Center will mesmerize you. If you have little time , just visiting the Walt Disney Concert Hall will be enough. Inside the enclosure is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the first place where the Oscars were delivered . Currently, LA Opera is placed there.
U.S. BANK TOWER
Cover of the film Independence Day among others, this impressive skyscraper is the tallest building in Los Angeles . If you visit the center, you will be able to see this imposing building from afar, since it stands out from different points of the metropolis. US Bank Tower was designed by Thomas Boada with a height of 310 meters and 73 floors of construction.
THE MOCA
This is the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art , and it could be considered the second most important in the country after MOCA in New York. It changes the exhibitions quite frequently and it can be works by well-known artists of all genres . If you like art, it takes 2-3 hours .
LOS ANGELES COLISEUM
The Los Angeles Coliseum is the most important stadium in the history of LA Located in the Exposition Park area , it is one of the only venues in the world where two Olympic games have been held . The Super Bowl was played in this stadium from 1967 to 1973. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum can boast of having had many American football and baseball teams play in its field .
LA FASHION DISTRICT
And what better city than that of glamor and stars to locate a fashionable district ? None, or almost none. The Fashion District is a set of shopping streets in Los Angeles where you can only do one thing: shop. Most of the establishments that you will find are for wholesalers, but there are also retail stores . Its curious distribution makes this district a unique place , since its stores are divided into several sections : flowers, textiles, the alleys, wholesalers and retailers. If you are interested in obtaining more information about the Los Angeles Fashion District, click on our section about shopping in Los Angeles .
