DK Travel : Los Angeles : History & Culture

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St. Sophia Cathedral

One of LA’s surprises, St. Sophia, the central church of Southern California’s Greek community, was masterminded by the Skouras brothers, a trio of movie impresarios. Behind its austere, gleaming white exterior is an exceptionally opulent hall of worship. The eye is drawn to the icon-studded, golden altar of the Virgin Mary while Jesus, surrounded by saints, looks down at the congregation from the 90-ft (27-m) high dome.
Stephen Watts Kearny (1794–1848)

The American general who assisted in the capture of Los Angeles from the Mexican army in 1847.
Sunset Strip

Sunset Strip has been LA’s nocturnal playground since the 1920s and is the most history-laden section of the 25-mile (40-km) Sunset Boulevard. Stars, starlets, wannabes, and those that like to be around them are still drawn to landmarks old and new, including the Chateau Marmont, the Whisky a Go-Go, the Mondrian Hotel with its exclusive Sky Bar, and Johnny Depp’s music club, the Viper Room.
The 1920s: The Birth of the Aviation Industry

In possession of just $1,000, but driven by a dream, 28-year-old Donald Douglas began designing airplanes in the back of a barber shop. A year later, the first Cloudster cargo plane propelled his Douglas Aircraft Company into prominence. It went on to become one of the world’s leading airplane manufacturers.
The Getty Center

Although best known for its collection of European art, the Getty offers much more – a hilltop setting with sweeping views from the ocean to the mountains, architecture as exquisite as “frozen music” (to quote Goethe), and landscaped gardens that are nothing less than the finest art.
The Grove

Adjoining the Farmers Market, The Grove is an attractive, upscale outdoor shopping and dining center with a first-rate 14-screen movie theater. Open since 2002, this mall features highlights such as a historic trolley connecting it with the market, a fountain that occasionally erupts into a choreographed water show set to music, and a bronze sculpture of flying angels. Along with adjacent CBS and the Farmers Market, The Grove occupies land once owned by the Gilmore family, who made their fortune from oil. Gilmore Stadium, home of the Hollywood Stars, a baseball team owned by Bing Crosby, Cecil B. De Mille, and Barbara Stanwyck, was once located where CBS now stands.
Third Street Promenade

Downtown Santa Monica’s main artery, this three-block mall is one of the most pleasant walking areas in LA. The product of a hugely successful revitalization effort in the late 1980s, it is flanked by upscale shops, movie theaters, and eclectic restaurants, bars, and cafés. Street musicians from around the globe shower strollers with flamenco, jazz, and hip hop. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, the farmers market attracts large crowds.
Tom Bradley (1917–98)

LA’s first African-American mayor governed for an unprecedented five terms.
Traveler

Terry Schoonhoven’s 1993 ceramic mural depicts California travelers from the days of the Spanish explorations, and LA landmarks such as Pico House.
UCLA Hammer Museum

This museum, run by UCLA, is the legacy of Armand Hammer, an oil tycoon who discovered a passion for collecting art in the 1920s. Hammer was especially fond of 19th-century French Impressionists such as Monet. Rotating exhibitions are complemented by traveling shows with a more contemporary angle. Free readings, film screenings, and lectures are quite popular. An upcoming renovation may require temporary full or partial closure of the museum.