Las Vegas: Beyond the Lights
This April, I took a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, a place full of casinos, entertainment, bright lights, and "the strip"--a street dedicated to extravagant and immense architectural structures. The hotels of Las Vegas are unlike anywhere else in the world; they each contain their own personality, complete with themed decor, restaurants, and even shopping centers. My trip to Sin City opened my eyes to something about Las Vegas I had never noticed on my prior visits; that in each hotel that lies on the strip, there is so much more beyond the lights. In this post, I want to highlight the many hotels on the strip that pay homage to the most iconic and impactful cultures in history, and how that contributes to their extravagance and uniqueness.
Perhaps the best example of this would be Caesar's Palace, a hotel entirely dedicated to Julius Caesar and Roman culture. The architecture is truly stunning; the hotel is modeled after Greco-Roman buildings and is unmistakably so. The strong, white pillars support the massive towers (one of which is named "The Augustus Tower"). Other structures include the colosseum, one of the hotel's theaters that has hosted legends including Celine Dion and Mariah Carey, which is from the exterior a life-size replica of the famous world wonder.
But perhaps the most notable part of the Caesar experience is the Forum Shops, a massive shopping complex that is designed with such detail and purpose it almost doesn't need the rows and rows of store to make it a spectacle. From the changing night sky to make you feel as though you are in ancient Rome to the plethora of statues of Roman gods, the Forum shops are a Vegas must-see (and that is saying a lot).
Caesar's is just the tip of the iceberg for tributes to the brightest points of cultural revolution in the world's history. The Venetian pays homage to Italian culture with a complete gondola ride in their shopping center. Or the New York, New York which includes towers that look like a New York City skyline. Other examples include the Luxor, which is shaped itself like an Egyptian pyramid, and the Paris hotel which features the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, which is, yes, an Eiffel Tower replica.
The hotels of the strip are not just places for gamblers trying to make a buck or bachelorette parties, but a center of cultural patronage and inspiration, that creates a mesmerizing and enchanting experience for all of its visitors.
Emma
Image 1: The night sky of the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace
Image 2: A replica of the Osaka Castle in the Conservatory exhibit at the Bellagio
Image 3: Window display of the Versace store at the Crystals Mall in Las Vegas (part of the Vegas City Center that gives tram access to several hotels including Vdara, Aria, Bellagio, and the Park MGM).