El Arco Gateway ha sido una atracción turística muy popular desde su finalización en octubre de 1965. Fue diseñado para durar 1000 años, alcanza los 630 pies de altura, y en un día claro, se puede ver a unas 30 millas desde la cima de la estructura. Los grupos de 20 o más pueden realizar una visita guiada en el lugar. El tour incluye una película documental sobre la construcción del Arco, una visita al Museo de la expansión hacia el oeste y un viaje a la Old Courthouse, que es famosa por acoger el legendario Dred Scott Trial.
By the 1960s, almost all of the buildings on the riverfront were cleared out to make way for the Gateway Arch. The only building on the Arch grounds that remained was the Old Cathedral, just west of the Arch's south leg. The Old Cathedral was inaugurated in 1818. Inside there are religious statues and paintings that tell the story of Christ's crucifixion. There are postcards available for sale inside a gift shop on the west side of the building. Guests are welcome from the morning through the afternoon.
Now serving as quarters for government offices, this building is known worldwide to architecture students as the forerunner of skyscraper construction. Drive by to see this 11-storey building, which was designed by famed architect Louis H. Sullivan using steel supports. Taking its name from Elias Wainwright, the affluent St. Louis businessman who commissioned the design, this structure ranked as the world's most modern building upon its completion in 1892. A floral terra cotta exterior enhances the building with designs that vary from floor to floor, giving it an old-fashioned charm.
Located in the heart of Lebanon, Mermaid Inn is a historic building that once served as a hotel. It was built in 1830 by retired sea captain Lyman Adams, who named it after reportedly spotting mermaids at sea. Mermaid Inn has become an iconic landmark of Lebanon as it once hosted Charles Dickens during his visit to the Looking Glass Prairie in 1842. Dickens even mentioned the little inn in one of his writings, describing it to be a clean, good public house. Today, this structure finds a mention on the National Register of Historic Places and is an unmissable attraction in the city.
La calle principal del St. Charles histórico es la única calle en el área metropolitana de St. Louis preservada de la década de 1800, en la época en que los caminos se utilizaban para carruajes tirados por caballos. La calle y la acera están hechas de adoquín rojo. El centro turístico ofrece visitas guiadas gratuitas relacionadas con la historia de la zona. También hay un museo dedicado a la Expedición de Lewis y Clark. La mayoría de las personas que visitan la zona van en busca de antigüedades o de artes y artesanías en alguna de las muchas interesantes tiendas. Hay que tomarse un tiempo para disfrutar de los varios restaurantes, bares y tiendas de helados ubicados en la calle principal.
Elsah Historic District is a heritage landmark in the village of Elsah that is a reminder of its development in the 19th Century. Encompassing an area of about 350 acres (140 hectares), the district is dotted with more than 30 historic buildings. Elsah was established along the banks of the Mississippi River in 1853 and rapidly expanded economically and geographically. Today, these old buildings narrate this intriguing story of the town through their charming stone architecture. Take a walk through the district to admire old commercial structures, homes, and taverns that were once bustling with activity. Steeped in history, the district finds a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Union Avenue Christian Church is a beautiful church which is remarkable both for its beautiful architecture and for its cultural programs. The beautiful rose window, arched entryway, mullioned, stained-glass windows and tall bell tower make this church a sight worth seeing in itself. That's not all, however, as the church is also home to the Union Avenue Opera, an organization which is led by the music director of the church and which organizes regular opera performances at this church.
The skillfully designed Saint Louis Abbey is a world-renowned architectural as well as spiritual haven. This historic landmark was established in 1955. A few monks from the Benedictine Ampleforth Abbey laid the foundation for this mammoth establishment. Affiliated to the Roman Catholic English Benedictine Congregation, the abbey is home to numerous monks, who lead a disciplined life of prayer and work. While the inspiring tales about the lives of these monks sure attract many a discerning traveler, the immaculate and captivating façade of the abbey has droves of curious wanderers flocking its grounds. The three-tiered structure houses European modern art as well as sculptures and relics from the 14th Century, making it a must-visit destination for history buffs too.
Soaked in history and culture, Tappmeyer House is one of the few surviving structures of the early 19th century. The little white house was once the residence of the Tappmeyer household, and was located in Olive Boulevard. Since being moved to its current location in Millennium Park, the house has been restored and turned into a popular tourist attraction. Apart from regular historical tours, the site also plays host to a number of cultural events.
Part of the sprawling Jefferson Barracks Historic District in Lemay, St. Louis County, the Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum is a famous tourist attraction and popular landmark of the State of Missouri. Housed in a historic 1896 two-story duplex house, this museum has an exhaustive collection of vintage telephones, dating back to the early 1900s to the ones used as recently as the early 21st century. Apart from the telephones, the museum also houses operator switchboards used in the period 1920-60, telephone-associated parts and other memorabilia dating back to early 1880s, novelty telephones, a famous sculpture of Alexander Graham Bell and replicas of the inventor's 1876 Liquid Transmitter and 1877 First Commercial Telephone.
Though the Cathedral Basilica's Romanesque exterior is undoubtedly impressive, the interior of the cathedral is what is truly inspiring. The seat of the Catholic archdiocese in St. Louis, this massive complex contains a mosaic collection that is said to be the world's largest. Over the course of 76 years, 41.5 million pieces of glass tesserae were affixed to the walls and ceiling to illustrate numerous religious stories. The life story of King St. Louis IX, the city's namesake, is told in mosaic on the walls of the portico. Choir concerts are scheduled throughout the year, and choral programs and organ recitals take place on most Sunday afternoons. Check the website for more details.
An enormous Catholic church on the edge of the downtown business district, St. Joseph's Shrine dates back to the 1840s, when ethnic churches primarily German, Polish, Italian and Irish ones ministered to and schooled new immigrants. After a Vatican-authenticated miracle occurred there in 1864, the church was greatly enlarged in 1866 and then again in 1881, at which time its Baroque facade and twin towers were added. In the 1960s and 1970s, when the neighborhood had long since given way to commercial development, the underused church was almost demolished. A local group spearheaded a drive to save and restore the massive church, spending well over $1 million in the process. Tours are offered every week after the 11am Sunday service.