A Walking Tour of Denver

In anticipation of an upcoming trip I'm looking up touristy things to do in Denver. Looks like fun. Though if possible, I think I want to get down to the Air Force Academy. I *almost* went there. Stupid teenage hormones....

In 1917, local author Dabney Otis Collins wrote: 'When I walk down a Denver street, I always feel as if I were listening to a brass band.'

The city has that same feeling today. Whether you are catching a glimpse of a snow capped peak at the end of 17th Street, watching a horse drawn carriage clatter down Larimer Square, or admiring the reflection of an elegant Victorian building in the mirrored glass of a skyscraper, there is a sense of excitement and energy to downtown Denver.

The clean streets, the open plazas with views of the architecture and the hundreds of flower planters, fountains and statues that decorate the area all combine so that even a short stroll is fun and filled with many memorable images.

A natural starting point for a walking tour is the 15th step on the west side of the State Capitol Building. Standing here, you are exactly 5,280 feet above sea level one mile high.

The Capitol, modeled after the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., is best known for its brilliant dome, which is covered with 200 ounces of 24K gold. However, the really priceless material is the Colorado onyx that was used inside as wainscoting. The entire world's supply of this unusual rose colored stone was used in the building and no more of it has ever been found.