11 Of The Most Enchanting Man Made Wonders In Denver

The Denver Astronomical Society has been hosting Public Nights at DU's historic Chamberlin Observatory, circa 1894, for over 60 years. Every Tuesday and Thursday, you have the opportunity to experience informative presentations on astronomy and to view the moon, stars, planets, and more through the famed 28-foot long refracting telescope.

Established in the late 1800s as the first Catholic church in Denver, the Cathedral Basilica at 1535 Logan Street is a stunning man made sight to behold. Especially of note are its twin 210-foot towers, 75 German stained glass windows, and altar, statuary, and bishop's chair made from imported Italian marble.

The Denver Art Museum's North Building, which opened in 1971, was DAM's original revolutionary architectural triumph. It stands at a whopping seven stories tall, is 210,000 square feet, and boasts more than a million reflective glass tiles on its castle-like exterior. Man made magnificence at its best!

Since its inception in 1907, Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary and Cemetery in Wheat Ridge and its historic Tower of Memories have grown to be one of Denver's most recognized landmarks. Construction of the seven-story, 158-foot, Gothic-style mausoleum began in the 1920s and was completed in the 1940s.

The magnificent Mother Cabrini Shrine near Golden has many well-maintained historic structures on site dating back to the early 1900s. There's a replica of a French grotto that was built in 1929, over the sacred spring discovered by Mother Cabrini and her sisters in 1912, as well as other notable landmarks, including the Stone House, Heart of Stones, Convent, and the 373-step Stairway of Prayer, all of which draw spiritual pilgrims and tourists alike who long for a glimpse of Mother Cabrini's life and work.

The Mount Evans Scenic Byway near Idaho Springs is the highest paved road in North America and was constructed from 1917-1927. The wild, winding road runs 28 miles, gains over 7,000' of elevation, (is not for the faint of heart), and culminates at an altitude of 14,130' at the summit of Mt. Evans.

Established in 1918, the Peak to Peak Highway is Colorado's oldest scenic byway and travels a 55-mile route from Estes Park to I-70. You'll encounter old mining sites where you can pan for gold, intersecting gravel roads that lead to the ghost towns of Hesse and Apex, and of course stunning mountain scenery as you pass through Rocky Mountain National Park, Golden Gate Canyon, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.

A quick hike to the historic ruins at Mount Falcon reveals the broken dreams of the successful businessman John Brisben Walker, who constructed this home overlooking Red Rocks in 1910. However, Walker's wife passed away in 1916, and the castle was struck by lighting and burned in 1918, and the crumbling stones are now all that remain.