Chinatown, Asian cultural district in Downtown Los Angeles, United States.
Chinatown is a neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles that spreads across several blocks with Chinese architecture, red lanterns, and decorated gateways. The narrow streets are lined with two-story buildings containing restaurants, shops, and markets, while a central plaza serves as a gathering space for events.
The original neighborhood had to make way for Union Station in the 1930s, which prompted the community to build a new location about a mile to the north. Peter Soo Hoo Sr. and other business owners established the Central Plaza in 1938 as the first modern Chinese-developed shopping center in the United States.
The central streets carry Chinese names and lead through a mix of traditional and modern shops, where visitors find tea ceremony supplies and regional foods. Restaurants serve Cantonese, Sichuan, and Taiwanese cuisine, while bakeries display mooncakes and egg tarts in glass cases.
The Metro A Line connects the neighborhood to the rest of the city and stops right at the northern edge of the main streets. Parking is available in several multi-level garages, which fill up quickly on weekends and during festivals.
Some buildings along the main streets date back to the late 1930s and display a mix of Art Deco elements and Chinese motifs, which sets the neighborhood apart from later Chinatown districts in other American cities. Side alleys feature murals by local artists depicting both traditional Chinese scenes and contemporary themes.
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