Olvera Street

This famous street is made up of craft shops nestled between 19th-century buildings and scattered with lively traditional restaurants that flood the air with the aroma of warm tortillas and spicy dishes.

History

Los Angeles was founded in 1781 by a Spanish colony which settled in an area near Olvera Street. It was there that El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles (The town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels) was founded, which would later be replaced by another town on a higher terrain as this area was subsequently flooded.

Plaza Olvera became the centre of the city, and in 1877 it was renamed Olvera Street. It later went through a period of deterioration but was restored many years later in memory of its origins.

Things to See

Olvera Street's lively warm atmosphere makes it a pleasant place to stroll around, and it is also home to many popular monuments:

• Avila Adobe: Built in 1818, it is the oldest house in Los Angeles among those still standing.
• Church of Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles: Founded in 1814 and later restored, this Catholic church is affectionately known as "La Placita".
• Zanja Madre: Built one month after the founding of the village, the Zanja Madre was created to supply water to the population and provide irrigation to the fields.
• Sepulveda House: This historic residence dates back to 1887 and has now become a museum.
• Pelanconi House: Preserved as the oldest brick building in Los Angeles, this house was converted into a restaurant in 1924. Today La Golondrina is the oldest restaurant on Olvera Street.

Visiting

Olvera Street is a unique historic district that offers its visitors the chance to see the city's past from a different perspective. The street is always lively and full of people, and if you like Mexican food it's a good place to visit it at lunchtime.