Downtown Columbus incorporates the Central Business District of Columbus, Ohio. It is home to the Ohio State Capitol building, Franklin University, Columbus Metropolitan Library and Main Street Bridge. Downtown Columbus offers several entertainment options which include bars, restaurants, theatres and sporting arenas. Visitors can also enjoy an array of picturesque gardens and riverside walks.
Travellers seeking to explore the cultural heritage of Columbus can head for the Capitol Building or Columbus Museum of Art. The museum focuses on American and European art from the early modern to the contemporary period. Highlights include works by Monet, Matisse, Cézanne and Norman Rockwell. Enthusiastic photographers will enjoy the views of the city skyline from North Bank Park, where towering skyscrapers dominate the Central Business District. Those preferring a day of shopping can find everything they desire around Pearl Market. During summer and autumn months locally grown produce, handicrafts and artisan wares are displayed on stalls in this lively area of Downtown Columbus. Relax after a busy day at Columbus Commons, a two-hectare park with cafes, carousels and performance stages. As Columbus is a four-season city, there are picturesque flowers, plants and trees to enjoy all year round. Alternatively, spend quality time on the Scioto Mile. This urban oasis comprises parkland, boulevards, bicycle trails and pedestrian riverside walkways. Enjoy discovering the 14,000 square metre interactive fountain, the Scioto Audubon and the country’s largest outdoor climbing wall.
Getting around Downtown Columbus is easy. Visitors can opt to walk, ride the bus or hop on a bike. A free downtown bus runs from Short North Arts District to the Brewery District several times an hour. Columbus also operates a bike share scheme. The network has over 40 stations in the downtown area which accommodate approximately 300 bicycles. Taxis, Uber and ride share services are also available.
Columbus city began its development in 1812. It had already been earmarked as the state capital of Ohio. The first buildings in downtown included a school, the statehouse, a newspaper outlet and the local penitentiary. As the city spread and neighbourhoods began to grow, the first skyscraper was built. LeVeque Tower was constructed in 1927. Today, Downtown Columbus is recognised for its contemporary skyline, but also for its attractive parks, green areas and rich history.