The Reno Arch is a steel structure spanning Virginia Street at its intersection with Commercial Row, holding bright LED lights throughout its frame. The design stretches across the busy downtown street to welcome visitors and locals passing through the central business district.

The original structure was built in 1926 to mark the completion of the Lincoln and Victory Highways, two major road projects connecting the region. The current version replaced it as the city modernized and downtown traffic patterns changed over the decades.

The arch displays Reno's motto 'The Biggest Little City in the World', a phrase rooted in the city's identity that draws from a public contest decades ago. You see these words illuminated in neon as you pass through, making the saying a central part of how locals and visitors perceive the downtown.

The arch sits directly over one of downtown's main streets and is easy to locate and view from multiple angles in the surrounding area. You can walk under it and around it freely, though keep in mind that Virginia Street is an active traffic corridor with regular vehicle flow.

The original structure from 1926 still stands near the National Automobile Museum on Lake Street and was even restored for a film production. This earlier version gives a sense of how the landmark looked during Reno's early automotive boom years.

GPS coordinates: 0.00000,0.00000

Latest update: December 8, 2025 15:24