Although there are an innumerable amount of buildings to tour in St. Louis, here’s a top 5 list of the infamous St. Louis sites. Make sure you keep your eye out for these structures the next time you’re in that awesome town known as St. Louis!
1. The Gateway Arch of St. Louis located at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
This structure in downtown Riverfront in St. Louis is probably the most iconic and recognizable structure in St. Louis. Architect Eero Saarinen & Associates were responsible for building the structure in 1965, and it still has a great tourist draw today. The people of St. Louis have a lot of pride for this structure, and when you visit it, you’ll know why.
2. The Old Cathedral of St. Louis (Basilica of St. Louis, King of France)
This stunning cathedral, built by Joseph C. Laveille and George Morton is the oldest cathedral west of the Mississippi, and stands on privately owned land in the Memorial expansion area. The site was reserved for church construction in 1764, but the current cathedral is the fourth church to be built on the site. If only they could make up their minds already!
3. The Old Courthouse, St. Louis
This large old courthouse takes up an entire block of St. Louis! It is located on Broadway and Chestnut, covers portions of Market and 4th street. This historic building was built by the following architects: Robert S. Mitchell, Henry Singleton, and William Rumbold. This historic building was built before the US capital building dome in Washington during the Civil War. This old courthouse was the hub for the infamous Dred Scott case. The verdict was a grounds for the Civic War in the US.
4. Wainwright Building
The Wainwright Building is quite famous and is located at 709 Chestnut Street. Even though it underwent restorations by other architects, the original brains were architects Adler & Sullivan. The Wainwright Building is known as the original American skyscraper. This puts it in the book of legends in American architecture. As Frank Lloyd Wright once remarked, “The Wainwright is a monument to the first perception of the tall building as a harmonious unit – its height triumphant.” The historic building was purchased by Missouri in 1981. The only area open to the public is the lobby. However, you can still see the grand exterior from the outside.
5. The Old Post Office, St. Louis
The Old Post Office encompasses Olive, Locust, Eights and Ninth Streets. The architecture can be credited to Alfred B. Mullet, with restoration projects commissioned by other architects. This historic building was originally built to be a federal court and customs house, but is currently houses a nice restaurant, library, as well as some corporations. It has a stunning fortress-likes granite exterior.
These are 5 exceptional buildings in St. Louis, but if you’re like me and enjoy the local color as well, Thomas P. Barnett’s great Spanish Mission style art deco building is definitely a highlight at 3207 Washington Ave.
T.P. Barnett is the son of George I. Barnett who was another celebrated architect in St. Louis. The T.P. Barnett building is a very appealing building as it is deemed to be a unique structure in the Grand Center region of St. Louis, with its Art Deco influences. You should surely take a moment to stopover to this location the next time you’re in St. Louis. This Spanish Revival building on Washington Avenue is well worth it.
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