The Millennium Biltmore captures a slice of the old L.A. glamour. It opened in 1923 as the largest hotel west of Chicago. Take look at its 11-story brick façade, colonnades, and friezes. The architecture mixes the Beaux Arts style, popular in the early 1900s, with Spanish-Italian Renaissance elements, which honor L.A.’s Spanish heritage. The Biltmore’s grandeur was a statement that Los Angeles had become a great American city.&nbsp; 
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Over the years, the Biltmore's been called “The Host of the Coast.” And no wonder – it’s hosted presidents, movie stars, and a parade of famous people, including Rudolph Valentino, the Prince of Wales, J. Paul Getty, Howard Hughes, Herbert Hoover, and Eleanor Roosevelt.&nbsp; John F. Kennedy accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination as their presidential candidate here in 1960. The Beatles stayed here during their first U.S. tour in 1964, and landed a helicopter on the roof to access their rooms.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Biltmore also plays a role in many Hollywood films, including Chinatown, Bugsy and Fight Club, plus TV shows like Mad Men, and music videos, notably Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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If you want to glimpse the Biltmore’s splendor, go in through the entrance by the middle of South Olive Street. You’ll find yourself at the hotel’s original lobby. The room looks a bit like a Renaissance cathedral. It has a central fountain and magnificent staircase – and its walls are finished with paint flecked with 24-carat gold.&nbsp;

Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Millennium_Biltmore_Hotel,_Los_Angeles.jpg">"Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles"</a> by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Downtowngal" title="User:Downtowngal">Downtowngal</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Millennium Biltmore Hotel

It’s named after a World War One general, but Pershing Square’s history starts long before that. It’s been a gathering place since 1866, when people in the Los Angeles pueblo knew it as La Plaza Abája, or “the lower plaza.” From then on, it’s had many designs and uses – resulting in hodgepodge additions over the years.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Take this purple tower, surrounded by an aqueduct and scattered orange spheres. They come from the park’s most recent renovation, in 1992, and represent water from California’s mountains flowing to citrus farms. There’s a tiny monument park, next to the tower, with war memorials dating back to 1900; there’s also a Beethoven statue for the L.A. Philharmonic. There’s a concert stage, a fountain, and a hanging wall garden. But who knows how long these will be around? In April 2016, the city unveiled four new proposals to revamp Pershing Square.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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What you’ll always see in Pershing Square are people: on lunch breaks, walking dogs, accompanying kids to the playground, or just catching some sun. There’s a metro station right here on Pershing square, making it an accessible oasis in the heart of downtown L.A.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pershing Square

Welcome to St. Vincent Court. As you can see, it’s an interesting little spot for casual outdoor dining. And this courtyard, about 150 years old, has a long and layered history.&nbsp; 
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St. Vincent Court takes its name from St. Vincent’s College, a school built on this site in the 1860s. It was the first school of higher learning in Los Angeles. You can see a plaque, and fountain, from the school to the right after you enter the court. Since the college relocated in 1887, different businesses have opened and closed here. These include the first-ever Bullock’s department store, the neighborhood’s first espresso bar, and the current St. Vincent Jewelry Center. The cafes and delis you see now are relatively recent additions.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Look around at the stores. The colorful awnings, windows, and ornaments mimic Parisian storefronts. Look back above the breezeway you just entered – that’s modeled after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. All these were part of a beautification project in 1956, which was meant to give the alley a quaint charm and attract more business. At the time, the designs reflected the neighborhood’s strong European demographic.&nbsp;The eateries you see now – mostly Middle Eastern or Mediterranean – reflect a changing clientele.&nbsp;

Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St._Vincent%27s_Court,_Los_Angeles.jpg">"St. Vincent's Court, Los Angeles"</a> by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Downtowngal" title="User:Downtowngal">Downtowngal</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

St. Vincent Court

You’re standing right across from the Tower Theatre – a movie palace on a 50-by-150-foot corner lot. It was one of the 12 opulent theaters that lit up Broadway from 1910 to 1931, and the first theater downtown to be wired for sound. The Tower opened in 1927 with the silent film The Gingham Girl. It held a sneak preview for the first feature-length “talkie”, The Jazz Singer, the same year.&nbsp; 
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Take in the theater’s ornate exterior, from the terracotta clock tower, to the Spanish- and French-baroque detailing on its façade. The architect, S. Charles Lee, wanted the building to be as eye-catching as possible because it was so small. Who can say he didn’t succeed?&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Inside, the theater is modeled after the Paris Opera House. The stained glass window, above the marquee, features the art of movie-making. Sadly, no one can really enjoy its glamour now. The Tower closed in 1988, though there are talks about restoration. It’s also occasionally used as a filming location. You could still glimpse its interiors in movies like Mambo Kings, End of Days, Coyote Ugly, and The Good German.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tower_Theatre,_Los_Angeles.jpg">"Tower Theatre, Los Angeles"</a> by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Difference_engine" title="User:Difference engine">Difference engine</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>

Tower Theatre

I hope you brought an empty stomach, and some time to kill! Clifton’s is the oldest cafeteria-style eatery in L.A. This three-story cafeteria has good basic food like fried chicken, roast turkey and stuffing, meatloaf, jello and pie… and most of the time, really long lines.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
People have been flocking to Clifton’s since 1935. At the height of its popularity, it was serving 15,000 people a day. During the Great Depression, Clifton’s even served people who couldn’t pay for meals. It’s no joke that starving artists swung by for a bite – Clifton’s counts Walt Disney, and the writers Jack Kerouac and Ray Bradbury, among its customers. Bradbury, in particular, was a regular; it’s said that his ghost still hangs around. Clifton’s today no longer serves free food, but it’s big on community outreach.&nbsp; 
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But Clifton’s is more than a cafeteria. It has themed dining rooms, five bars, cabinets of curiosities, taxidermy forest animals, waterfalls, and a five-story-high fake redwood tree. There’s so much to explore beyond the menu, it’s a good thing you can go wander inside without ordering anything. But, really: you should.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clifton%27s_Cafeteria_2017.jpg">"Clifton's Cafeteria 2017"</a> by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Difference_engine" title="User:Difference engine">Difference engine</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>

Clifton's Cafeteria

This site honors Biddy Mason, a former slave, who walked from Mississippi to Freedom in California. She built a house on this lot, and ran the city’s first child care center out of her home. This amazing woman became a successful midwife and entrepreneur, and helped found the city’s First African Methodist Episcopal Church.&nbsp; 
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“Grandma Mason” – as she was called – was one of the first African-American women to own land in Los Angeles. The timeline wall here traces her journey from slave to pioneering philanthropist. Designed by artist Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, it features maps, photos, and drawings from Grandma Mason’s life and times. Some of them will show you the earliest plans for this city. If you walk to the elevators by the nearby garage, you’ll see a sepia-toned photomural by Betye Saar that also commemorates Grandma Mason.&nbsp;

Image: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/27773021328">"LA Biddy Mason Park (#0937)" </a>by&nbsp;<a data-track="attributionNameClick" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/" title="Go to Don Barrett's photostream">Don Barrett</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">CC BY-NC-ND 2.0</a>

Biddy Mason Memorial Park

The Bradbury Building, which opened in 1893, is the oldest commercial establishment remaining in the central city. From the outside, it may look just like any other old brick building… but magic happens when you step inside.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Go in, and you’ll find yourself in a tall, narrow courtyard. Wrought-iron grills and stairs run up, one floor to another, all the way to a skylight. You can’t help but look up – light floods in and casts shadows on polished wood, terracotta, metal, and bricks. Two birdcage elevators hum and glide along the walls, still operated by human conductors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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The building is the brainchild of gold-mining millionaire-turned real estate developer Lewis L. Bradbury. George Wyman, the Bradbury’s architect, based this stunning design on Edward Bellamy’s 1887 science fiction novel Looking Backward, which imagined what buildings would look like in the year 2000. Today, the Bradbury still figures in the popular imagination – many classic movies, like Blade Runner, City of Angels, and 500 Days of Summer were filmed here. On most days, it’s a normal, busy, commercial building, home to offices like the LAPD’s Internal Affairs division – and a chance for a little time travel.&nbsp; 
 
Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bradbury_Building,_304_S._Broadway_Downtown_Los_Angeles_2.jpg">"Bradbury Building, 304 S. Broadway Downtown Los Angeles 2" </a>by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:MikeJiroch" title="User:MikeJiroch">MikeJiroch</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Bradbury Building

Are you still hungry? You’ve come to the right place – Grand Central Market – the longest-running public market in L.A. It opened in 1917, out of two adjacent buildings facing Broadway and Hill Streets. The one facing Broadway was the first fireproof and steel-reinforced building in Southern California.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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A hundred years ago, the well-heeled residents up Bunker Hill shopped for groceries in this Beaux Arts arcade. They rode up and down the Angels Flight railway across the street. Back then, the market had green grocers, fishmongers, butchers, flower shops, Jewish delis, and bakeries – even a vendor who only sold eggs!&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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After a major renovation in the 1990s, the grocers and their classic neon signs are still here. But the market now also has crafts shops and many new eateries reflecting L.A.’s diversity. The food here ranges from Salvadorean to German, Texan to Thai, and if it’s crowded, most of it is worth the wait.&nbsp; 
 
Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_Central_Market.jpg">"Grand Central Market"</a> by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Visitor7&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" title="User:Visitor7 (page does not exist)">Visitor7</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Grand Central Market

We’re now at the Hill Street station of Angels Flight Railway. This was the “shortest railway in the world” – just 298 feet long. Angels Flight opened in 1901 to bring passengers from this point to Olive Street, one steep block up the tracks. More than 2,000 people rode the railway’s two cars, called Sinai and Olivet, on opening day. Countless more Angelenos and tourists rode them in the next half-century to get between Bunker Hill and the rest of downtown.&nbsp; 
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Angels Flight closed in 2013 due to regulation issues, but groups are working to reopen it. Reopenings seem like a constant in this landmark’s history – Angels Flight first shut down in 1969 during a controversial urban renewal project that destroyed working-class buildings around the railway. It reopened, closed, and reopened a few more times between then and 2013. In that period, it overcame two serious accidents, got an extension to the top of Bunker Hill, and made it to the National Register of Historic Places.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Angel's Flight

We’ve now reached the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This modern downtown landmark, designed by Frank Gehry, opened in 2003. Take a few moments (and a few breaths, after that uphill walk) to admire its exterior. The stainless steel façade rises and billows like a ship’s sails; it symbolizes musical movement and L.A.’s creative spirit. The hall’s light-filled lobby and fir-paneled auditorium follow the sinuous design.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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The silver façade also encloses an outdoor amphitheater and a rooftop garden. The lush garden – with organic herbs and edible flowers – is open to the public; go there to see a rose-shaped fountain made of porcelain. Gehry designed it for Walt Disney’s late widow, Lily, who had given the city 50 million dollars to build this performance venue.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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The Walt Disney Concert Hall is the fourth and newest building in the Los Angeles Music Center, which stretches along Grand Avenue, to your right. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, beside the Disney building, opened in 1964; the Mark Taper Forum, and the Ahmanson Theater, beyond the pavilion, opened three years later.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Walt Disney Concert Hall

The Broad, which opened in 2015, is the newest addition to the L.A. cityscape. It features 2,000 works of postwar and contemporary art. This 140-million-dollar museum offers free general admission – but because it’s so popular, tickets have been reserved through nine months after its opening. Right now, you may be seeing people lining up outside the museum – they’ll be part of the standby line. Some of them will get in – but only after waiting. Get tickets in advance, or get in line!&nbsp; 
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Part of the Broad’s attraction is its unusual architecture, called the “veil and vault.” Look up at the museum’s honeycomb-like façade. This is the “veil” – it wraps around the block-long galleries and filters in natural light. The “vault” is an opaque, concrete structure in the middle of the building. The museum’s offices, laboratories, and storage areas are inside it.&nbsp; 
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If you want to see more art, you can cross Grand Avenue and head over to the low red building diagonally across from the Broad. That’s the main branch of MoCA, or L.A.’s Museum of Contemporary Art; it features works made after 1940. MoCA’s windowless sandstone architecture deliberately contrasts with the glass-and-steel skyscrapers on Bunker Hill. Its entrance leads to a sunken courtyard, and only four of its seven floors are above street level.

The Broad & MoCA

On this walking tour of downtown LA, we'll&nbsp;travel backwards and forwards through time to uncover layered histories and futuristic visions of the central core of a city that's in a constant process of becoming.

Be aware of your surroundings as you go along – we’ll be passing by downtown’s busiest areas, including the Jewelry District, the Historic Core, and Bunker Hill, and you’ll see people from all walks of life, some of them pretty down on their luck.

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Timeless Downtown

Los Angeles

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Los Angeles

Timeless Downtown

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