High on Denver, the Mile High City
On the west side of the gold-domed capitol in Denver, visitors often climb the granite steps to stop and take photos on the 13th step. And there’s a good reason: a brass marker on this step reads “ONE MILE ABOVE SEA LEVEL.”
There’s also a row of seats in Coors Stadium, covered in purple and known as the purple level. These are choice seats because they, too, are situated exactly one mile above sea level.
Denver, the capital of Colorado, is proud to be known as the Mile High City. Its altitude and its location at the foot of the Rocky Mountains gives it a special distinction as a U.S. capital.
Denver reaches the heights in other ways, too. It’s an outstanding “green” city, with a serious commitment to the environment and it’s literally green because of its extensive park system.
City Park, the largest, covers 314 acres and includes a public 18 hole golf course, the Planetarium, the Denver Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science (fourth largest of its kind in the U.S) , plus several lakes, gardens, and a hiking and jogging trail that is exactly one mile high.
Besides its abundant natural assets, Denver also has noteworthy cultural attractions, such as an outstanding art museum, a performing arts center and a number of specialized museums, such as the Black American West Museum and the Molly Brown House Museum, home of Denver resident “the Unsinkable Molly Brown,” the Titanic heroine who earned her nickname by directing a lifeboat that saved women and children.
Since this is the capital of Colorado, I began my visit with an exploration of downtown Denver with a tour of the Capitol. The view as I approached was impressive. It’s fashioned like the U.S. Capitol- with its gold dome gleaming in sunlight. This dome rises 272 feet above the ground and is made of 24 karat gold mined in Colorado.
Inside, the décor was just as impressive, and the free guided tour was informative. In the entry hall, we admired the ornate chandelier, the hand-carved woodworking, the grand staircase of marble and brass (the brass gets polished by hand daily) and the overall impression of grandeur.
In one area, our guide pointed out a hand-stitched wall hanging that tells the story of prominent Colorado women during the first 100 years of statehood. (Colorado was admitted to the union in l876, which is why it’s known as the Centennial State )
As we entered the Rotunda, we admired the striking view to the top of the dome. “It’s almost as tall as the U.S. Capitol,” said our guide.
Next we climbed the grand staircase to the second level, where we peered into the ornate chambers of the Senate and House, with their chandeliers and stained glass windows. We learned that by law, anyone can sit in the gallery when these bodies are in session.
“It’s a gorgeous building, isn’t it?” asked our guide, who has met visitors from all over the world. Brochures about the Capitol are available in 12 languages.
It was just a short distance from the Capitol to the Denver Art Museum. It’s in two buildings. One is an ultra modern building with gleaming peaks and angles which was designed by renowned architect Daniel Liebeskind. The older building is a castle-like structure designed by Italian architect Gio Ponti.
The collection inside is huge, with more than 55,000 works. One major theme is Native American art, with a wide range of subjects strongly rooted in the West. One painting depicted cowboys roping a bear, another portrayed a cowboy choosing a bronco. And there were many interpretations of the stunning Rocky Mountain scenery.
Sculptures, too, showed the same keen regional interest, with sculptures of a white-tailed doe, an Indian hunter holding his bow and arrow, a bronze buffalo and more.
But art in Denver isn’t only in museums. Murals and sculptures are displayed throughout the city. These are all part of Denver’s Public Art Program.
Since it began in l998, the city has installed over 150 works. Some are unusual and often whimsical, such as the giant blue bear sculpted by Lawrence Argent: an arresting sight outside the Colorado Convention Center.
Just as unusual - and unexpected - is the sculpture of an oversize blue dust pan and a yellow-handled broom positioned just outside the Denver Art Museum.
Another appealing public attraction is the 16th Street Mall. This mile-long pedestrian mall is lined with 200 trees, 50,000 flowers and red banners proclaiming “Welcome to Denver”.
Then, too, there are free buses - clean, energy efficient, and stopping at every corner - which whisk passengers from one end of the mall to the other. Everyone in Denver seems to use these buses, from tourists to executives to mothers with children in strollers.
The mall itself is a colorful swirl of activity- with street musicians giving impromptu concerts and an endless people parade.
Although the stores are mostly familiar chains, there are also outdoor cafes, some specialty shops, restaurants, and benches for people-watching. It’s an impressive urban amenity, popular with both tourists and residents.
Downtown Denver is ideally suited for walking. It’s also ideal for fitness enthusiasts who can enjoy miles of jogging and bike paths. The city sponsors an extensive program of renting bicycles at modest rates.
I didn’t bike to the Denver Botanic Gardens. Instead, a short taxi ride took me there. It’s a 23-acre delight with 45 different gardens, including a Japanese Garden and a Rock Alpine Garden, and thousands of plants.
My visit to Denver went by all too quickly - and it convinced me that the Mile High City has many reasons for pride in addition to its noteworthy altitude.