Charles Dickens described Cincinnati as “cheerful, thriving, and animated.” The city is a cultural mixture of Midwest, Northeast, Appalachia, and Old South with a strong German-Catholic influence. Because of its blend of industry and architecture, downtown Cincinnati has become home to many marvelous landmarks that truly tell the story of this wonderfully complex city.
Fountain Square
After you find cheap flights to Cincinnati, OH and a great hotel, head toward Fountain Square. In addition to being the home of the Tyler Davidson Fountain, which is another landmark in its own right, this is also where weekly concerts, festivals, speeches, games, and movies are held. It’s also where seasonal events take place, like Halloween on the Square, the Ice Rink, and Octoberfest.
Tyler Davidson Fountain
This beautiful, uniquely sculpted fountain was built as a memorial by Tyler Davidson’s brother. Henry Probasco traveled to Munich, Germany and commissioned August von Kreling to create the structure. Kreling collaborated with Ferdinand von Miller, and it was constructed at the Royal Bronze Foundry of Bavaria. Probasco asked that four figures with animals that would act as drinking fountains be designed into the fountain.
John Uri Lloyd House
Registered as a historic building in 1973, the John Uri Lloyd House originally belonged to an American pharmacist who had a powerful impact on the development of economic botany, herbalism, phamacognosy, and ethnobotany.
Cincinnati City Hall
Cincinnati’s City Hall was listed in the National Register as a historic building on December 11, 1972. The building is four and half stories tall with a nine story clock tower. An interesting optical illusion makes the building appear larger than it is, and as the building appears to get taller, the windows seem to shrink.
Cincinnatus Mural
This ingeniously designed public artwork was created by Richard Haas and depicts Lucious Quinctius Cincinnatus, for whom Cincinnati was named. It can be seen on the Brotherhood Building located on Vine Street and Central Parkway.
Doctor’s Building
This historic commercial building is located on Garfield Place in downtown Cincinnati and is an example of the Late Gothic Revival. It was designed by Tietig and Lee, one of Cincinnati’s premier architectural firms in the early twentieth century.
Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral
This Greek revival cathedral is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The cornerstone of Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral was laid on May 20, 1841 under the guidance of bishop John Baptist Purcell. Its striking spire soars 220 feet above the street, and for many decades it was the tallest manmade structure in Cincinnati. The building is made of pure white limestone.
When you travel to Cincinnati to see these landmarks, let Hipmunk help you find a hotel to stay at. Also, let me know what you think about Cincinnati by leaving a comment below.
AUTHOR BIO
Gabriel Winston, likes to write about unusual places, when possible about caves in South America, though fashionable digs across North America are also interesting. He lives in Alberta, Canada and loves hiking and recording his trips on film and on his blog, Where the Dog Never Lies.