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Excursion tour in Houston. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

«« BEGINNING - PART I

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Any guide of Houston would be incomplete without a review of its most impressive architecture monuments - Museum of Natural Science, St. Paul Church, Houston City Hall, Heritage Plaza, University of Hyyuston-Downtown and many others. It’s difficult to overestimate their historical and cultural importance for USA. The style and architecture of any of these landmarks are worth a visit when you are on vacation in Houston. However, you can virtually visit any of these wonderful monuments without leaving your comfortable chair. For that purpose, simply 'fly' over the 3D model of Houston that was created by OrangeSmile and GoogleEarth. All you need to do is to click the video on this page.

Museum of Natural Science, Houston

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Houston Museum of Natural Science is one of the most popular and most visited museums in the USA. It was founded in 1909.
»  The museum complex consists of several buildings. In the main building, there are sectors dedicated to the nature of different natural zones and continents.
»  The museum also houses the big collection of minerals and paleontological exhibits.
»  In the museum, there are a planetarium and a wonderful cinema where you can watch films about the animal world, natural phenomena, volcanic eruptions, etc.
»  The most astonishing and most extraordinary sector in the museum is the exhibition of butterflies. It is located in a glass three-storey building where living butterflies of various sizes and colors fly in the conditions of a tropical rainforest.

St. Paul Church, Houston

Location on the map:   Facts:
» St. Paul's United Methodist Church is located in the center of Houston. It is an unusual religious leader for the urban community and is one of the most beautiful attractions in the city.
»  The church is very attractive from the architectural point of view. The building is decorated with high English Gothic arches and beautiful stained glass windows.
»  Wedding ceremonies have been held here for 100 years.
»  In the church, there is a magnificent organ. You can listen to organ music during ceremonies, musical evenings, and chants.

Houston City Hall, Houston

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Houston City Hall was built in 1938-1939. The building is surrounded by Tranquility Park. There is also the Houston Public Library near it.
»  The Mayor of Houston and City Controller have their offices in this significant building. Council Members have their offices across the street in the annex of the City Hall. Every Tuesday at 13:30 and every Wednesday at 9:00, the Houston Council hold a meeting here.
»  Joseph Finger, the architect of the Houston building, wanted to install statues of John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen on the facade but the city was short of funds. The statue project was dropped by the head of DRT. Thanks to the head of the Oran M. Roberts Chapter 440, statues of the Allen Brothers were ordered and cast in bronze.
»  On June 15, 2008, world-famous surgeon Michael E. Debakey lay in the state building when he died due to natural causes. He was the first person had such an honor.
»  The interior of the lobby floor of the Houston City Hall represents the protective role of government.

Heritage Plaza, Houston

Location on the map:
Facts: » Heritage Plaza is a famous skyscraper located in Houston and built in a postmodern style.
»  Heritage Plaza is one of the record holders in height. The skyscraper is the fifth highest building in Houston and the sixtieth highest in the USA.
»  This magnificent building was built by Houston-based M. Nasr & Partners P.C. The construction was completed in 1987.
»  The skyscraper has 53 floors.
»  The famous building is located on a hill, at a height of 232 m.
»  Heritage Plaza is the last big office building that was built in the period of the collapse of the Texas real estate, as well as of the banking and oil industry.
»  The famous construction has been the last skyscraper in Houston for 15 years.
»  The building of Heritage Plaza is designed in a postmodern style.
»  The top of the skyscraper is decorated with a stepped construction made of granite slabs, so it resembles an ancient Mayan pyramid. The architect was inspired by the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

University of Hyyuston-Downtown, Houston

Location on the map:
Facts: » The University of Houston-Downtown is a four-year state university. It is also one of the four institutions in the Houston University System.
»  The total area of the state university campus is 16 hectares. It is located in the center of Houston, with a satellite location in the northwestern County of Harris.
»  The University of Houston-Downtown was founded in 1974. It is the second largest university in Houston. Over 14 000 students study here.
»  The Board of Regents recognized the need for having a university in the city center and purchased assets of South Texas Junior College. On August 6, 1974, the four-year popular education institution was opened under the organization and control of the University of Houston. In August 1979, this university became stand-alone when the 66th Texas Legislature found it as a separate institution in the University of Houston System.
»  Today, the State University is directed by president Dr. Juan Sanchez Munoz and provost Edward T. Hugetz.

Williams Tower, Houston

Location on the map:
Facts: » The Williams Tower is a skyscraper that is 275 m high.
»  The building is the 3rd highest construction in Houston, the 4th - in Texas, and the 24th - in the USA.
»  Nowadays, the 64-storey building is the headquarter of the Hines Interests Company that works in the real estate sphere.
»  At the 51st level of the skyscraper, there is an observation platform that has a breathtaking view of the city.
»  At night, a big lantern on the roof is switched on. When the weather is fine, its beam is seen from 65 km.
Houston - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Plan your own tour over Houston on the monuments map

More to see in Houston
Houston is the largest business and economic center of the country, but this beautiful modern city has lots of cultural landmarks too. The Alley Theatre that is the largest venue of its type in the United States is situated in Houston. Among its numerous cultural attractions, there are museums and skyscrapers that can safely be called the real works of architectural art. The center of high-rise buildings is the Downtown; JPMorgan Chase Tower is the most famous skyscraper in the city. The height of this skyscraper is 305 meters. Next to it there is Wells Fargo Bank Plaza building with 302 meters height. Williams Tower is the third of the most beautiful high-rise buildings in the city; the height of this skyscraper is 275 meters. After admiring works of contemporary architects, city visitors should definitely walk around the theater district. Houston Grand Opera is considered the most important object of the area; this world- famous opera house surprises not only with the variety of cultural events, but also with its fascinating exterior. It also houses Houston Symphony that is one of the country's largest symphony halls and the Houston Ballet. Theatre fans should definitely include a visit to the Alley Theater in their entertainment program. Fans of exciting excursions would like the museum district, which begins next to Hermann Park. The Museum of Fine Arts is the most visited of them. The Houston Museum of Natural Science is recommended for a family visit. The latest is … Read further

Tours through neighbours of Houston

Dallas
The 171-meter tower having 42 floors was completed in 1978. Reunion Tower is a part of the urban hotel complex. There’s a railway station located near the building. Two restaurants can be found on the upper floor of the skyscraper. One restaurant is situated above the other one, and they slowly make a circle along the axis of the tower. Above them, there’s the GeO-Deck observation deck. You can go up there in 68 seconds using a ... Open »
Atlanta
The Georgia State Capitol was built on the site of the city hall in 1889. The exterior of the Capitol building in Atlanta is very similar to the Capitol in Washington. The government residence was equipped with elevators, water supply system, gas, which was an ultramodern innovation for that time. The Capitol building used to be the tallest in Atlanta – 83 meters. The golden dome is decorated with a small Statue of Liberty. The fourth ... Open »
Mexico
The high Catholic basilica of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary with a bell tower dates from the 16th century. It took two hundred years to construct it. The exterior is a mix of three architectural styles: Baroque, Renaissance, Neoclassicism. A tall construction made of grey stone and finished with white granite has two seventy-metre towers. It’s decorated with carved pillars and an arched entrance. The corner towers have 30 bells. The central ... Open »
Chicago
The Museum of Science and Industry was opened in 1933 on the initiative of D. Rosenwald, a rich businessman and fan of scientific and technological progress. The museum is a very interesting modern complex that attracts a lot of visitors. There are 75 halls that house 35 000 exhibits. The most attractive thing here is that visitors can touch any exhibits and even take part in phenomena and processes. In the museum, permanent and temporary ... Open »
Las Vegas
Bellagio is a five-star hotel and casino located in the Las Vegas Strip. The main attraction of Bellagio is a musical fountain in front of the hotel. The hotel was built at the site of the legendary Dunes hotel and casino bought by Steve Wynn and demolished in 1993. Initially, the project was estimated at $1.6 million. Bellagio was festively opened on 15 October 1998. In Bellagio, there is a botanical garden and a special exhibition hall ... Open »
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