Exploring the Architectural Heritage of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

I always enjoy going to Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) whenever I get the chance. Some parts of it are rough, but in the last decade or so it’s experienced a revival and is always a cool experience. It’s not as old as Boston or New York but it has a colorful history.

I love taking the L.A. Metro downtown to avoid having to park and it’s fairly easy to walk around at each of its stops. This post is a pictorial of some of its iconic buildings and sights.

The Central Library Goodhue building was built in 1926 and is a historic landmark. A new wing was added in 1993, named for Mayor Tom Bradley, making the entire complex (officially renamed the Richard Riordan Central Library) the third largest library in the United States for the number of books and periodicals. Read more about the Central Library here.

Just a few blocks from the Library is the historic Millennium Biltmore. It opened its doors in 1923 and was the site of the early Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences was founded in 1927 at a luncheon in the Biltmore’s Crystal Ballroom.

It was designed by the architectural firm of Schultze & Weaver with a mixture of Spanish-Italian Renaissance Revival, Mediterranean Revival, and Beaux-Arts styles. The Rennaissance Lounge inside is elegant and iconic. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).