City guide
39 buildings worth a detour, each with what to look for. Open them on the map, or walk them with the iPhone app, which collects each one you photograph.
The buildings that define the city's architecture.
The Adolphus Hotel is a grand downtown Dallas hotel built in the Beaux-Arts style by the architectural firm Barnett, Haynes & Barnett, with a prominent facade completed in 1981. It is recognized as a National Register of Historic Places contributing property and listed place, and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Photo: Dfwcre8tive , CC BY 3.0
The Alfred Horatio Belo House is a downtown Dallas house designed by architect Herbert M. Greene in the Neoclassical style, dated to 1979. It is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and a National Register of Historic Places listed place.
Photo: Farragutful , CC BY-SA 4.0
The Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe, in downtown Dallas, was completed in 1902 to a Gothic Revival design by Nicholas J. Clayton, a notable Texas architect. Its cathedral facade is a prominent presence on the street.
Photo: Joe Mabel , CC BY-SA 3.0
Central Congregational Church is a Gothic Revival church built in 1920. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Renelibrary , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Chevrolet Motor Company Building was completed in 1923 to a Chicago School design by the firm Lang & Witchell. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Continental Lofts is a Chicago School style building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, its name reflecting its use as residential lofts.
modern architecture
Dallas City Hall was designed by I. M. Pei in a modern architectural style, distinguished by its inverted-pyramid massing visible from the street in downtown Dallas. It is recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Photo: Kent Wang , CC BY-SA 2.0
The Dallas County Courthouse was completed in 1892 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, designed by the firm Orlopp and Kusener. Its red sandstone facade gives downtown Dallas one of its most prominent 19th-century civic buildings, recognized today as both a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and a National Register of Historic Places listed property.
Photo: Leaflet , CC BY-SA 3.0
Dallas Fire Station No. 16 was designed by H. A. Overbeck in the Prairie School style. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Renelibrary , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Dallas Hilton, in downtown Dallas, was designed by the architecture firm Lang & Witchell in the Beaux-Arts style. It carries both Recorded Texas Historic Landmark status and a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: M.I.B. at English Wikipedia , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Dallas Municipal Building, completed in 1913 in downtown Dallas, was built in the Beaux-Arts style as a civic building for the city. It holds status as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Photo: Joe Mabel , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Dallas Scottish Rite Temple is a monumental Beaux-Arts building in downtown Dallas designed by architect Herbert M. Greene, with its facade completed in 1978. It is recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Renelibrary , CC BY-SA 3.0
Grace Methodist Episcopal Church is a Gothic Revival building dated to 1979, designed by architect W.A. Caan, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Grand Lodge of the Colored Knights of Pythias is a Beaux-Arts commercial building completed in 1916 and designed by William Sidney Pittman, a historically significant early African American architect. It stands as a landmark of Black fraternal-order patronage in Dallas, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Dallas Landmark.
Photo: Joe Mabel , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Hall of State is a textbook Art Deco monument at Fair Park, completed in 1980. It serves as the iconic centerpiece of Fair Park, its monumental facade and ornament visible from the street, and it carries a strong civic history that has made it a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Photo: RadicalBender (talk) (Uploads) , CC BY-SA 3.0
Landmark
The Kalita Humphreys Theater was designed in 1959 by Frank Lloyd Wright, placing it among the last projects of his career. It is a distinctive example of purpose-built theater design from one of America's major architects, and its design carries a notable story from Wright's late work.
Photo: Sisdisco (talk) , Public domain
The Magnolia Hotel is a downtown Dallas hotel designed by architect Alfred Bossom in the Beaux-Arts style. It is a National Register of Historic Places listed place, a National Register of Historic Places contributing property, and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Photo: Joe Mabel , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Majestic Theatre opened in 1921 on Elm Street in downtown Dallas, designed by John Eberson in the Renaissance Revival style. Eberson was a notable architect of atmospheric theatres, and the Majestic's ornate facade remains one of downtown Dallas's historic theater landmarks, recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: JVanT , CC BY 2.0
The Medical Dental Building is an Art Deco structure whose name reflects its purpose-built role housing medical and dental offices. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Renelibrary , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Mercantile National Bank Building is a downtown Dallas tower completed in 1943, designed by architect Walter W. Ahlschlager in the Streamline Moderne style. Its clock tower is a visible skyline landmark.
Photo: austrini , CC BY 2.0
The Music Hall at Fair Park is a performance venue completed in 1925, designed by the firm Lang & Witchell in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.
Photo: Photo: Andreas Praefcke , CC BY 3.0
The Neiman Marcus Building is a downtown Dallas structure completed in 1914, designed by architect George Dahl in the Renaissance Revival style.
Photo: Dfwcre8tive , CC BY 3.0
The Sanger Harris department store building is a former department store in downtown Dallas, designed by the architecture firm Lang & Witchell in the Italianate style. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Texas School Book Depository is a downtown Dallas building dated to 1980, built in the Romanesque Revival style with a warehouse-building facade. It is designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Photo: Michael Barera , CC BY-SA 4.0
The Joule Hotel is a downtown Dallas building designed by architect Herbert M. Greene in the Gothic Revival style. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: The original uploader was Bheide at English Wikipedia. , CC BY-SA 3.0
The Titche-Goettinger Building is a former department store in downtown Dallas, designed by architect George Dahl in the Renaissance Revival style. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Dfwcre8tive , CC BY 3.0
Union Station is a Beaux-Arts train station in downtown Dallas designed by architect Jarvis Hunt, embodying the grand civic ambitions of the transit era. It is recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: kla4067 , CC BY 2.0
W. H. Adamson High School was designed by William B. Ittner, a noted school architect, in the Colonial Revival style. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with that listing dated to 2012.
Photo: Michael Barera , CC BY-SA 4.0
The Wilson Block is a Queen Anne style building dated to 1983 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Betty Wills , CC BY-SA 4.0
Worth a stop when you're nearby.
Landmark
The Hyatt Regency Dallas was designed by noted mid-century architect Welton Becket, and it forms part of the Reunion complex, one of the recognizable landmark stories in downtown Dallas.
Photo: Milestone2 , CC BY-SA 3.0
James Madison High School is a Renaissance Revival school building completed in 1956. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Hasteur , CC BY-SA 3.0
Landmark
The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House was designed by Foster and Partners and completed in 2009. It is known for its distinctive red glass drum, visible from the street.
Photo: Kayedavi , Public domain
Landmark
The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center is a downtown Dallas concert hall designed by I. M. Pei, completed in 1989.
Photo: Photo: Andreas Praefcke , CC BY 3.0
The Texas Theatre is a Renaissance Revival building whose facade and marquee remain visible from the street. It is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Michael Dorosh , Public domain
Fine buildings that fewer people seek out.
The Old Dallas Central Library, in downtown Dallas, was designed by George Dahl and completed in 1955 in the mid-century modern style.
Photo: Dfwcre8tive , CC BY 3.0
The Santa Fe Terminal Complex is a large downtown Dallas terminal building in the Chicago School style, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Dfwcre8tive , CC BY 3.0
The Thomas Shiels House is an American Craftsman bungalow listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Renelibrary , CC BY-SA 3.0
The United States Post Office and Courthouse in downtown Dallas was completed in 1930 in the Renaissance Revival style, a monumental civic building combining a federal courthouse and post office.
Photo: Joe Mabel , CC BY-SA 3.0
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