Welcome to Phoenix and this tour of Downtown’s Historic Gems, presented by Insight Guides. My name is Katherine and I’ll be your guide. This tour takes approximately 2 hours to complete, not including visiting any museums or buildings along the route.

You can stop at any time and start again at the same spot later. You can follow the route on your phone or simply listen as I guide you from one sight to the next. I’ll be giving you clear directions and the audio will automatically start playing when you get close to the next sight on the tour. Don’t worry if you need to skip a sight as the tour will pick up at the next location. One more thing before we get started – always be aware of your surroundings and be sure to obey all traffic signals.

Arizona’s capital and largest city, Phoenix is a sprawling, predominantly flat metropolis. When viewed from the air, most of the high-rise buildings you see rising out of the desert are right here in Downtown. Phoenix was founded as an agricultural community in the mid-19th century, when Arizona was still a territory of the United States. Explosive economic growth after World War II also brought the destruction of much of the city’s early history as older buildings were torn down to make way for modern industry, which is exactly what makes the surviving gems so special.

Most of this tour takes place in the Copper Square district, the heart of Downtown. Here, among its shiny office buildings and sports arenas, we’ll discover impressive landmarks that date back to the city’s earliest days. Ready to begin? Then let’s get started!