Pasadena Civic Center District

	Pasadena Civic Center District
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	U.S. Historic district
	Pasadena City Hall, 2008
Location:	Pasadena, California
Architect:	Multiple
Architectural style:	Beaux Arts, other
Governing body:	Mixed
NRHP Reference#:	80000813
Added to NRHP:	July 28, 1980

Pasadena Civic Center District is a historic district in Pasadena, California roughly bounded by Walnut and Green Streets and Raymond and Euclid Avenues. Construction of the civic center was funded with a $3.5 million bond issuance in 1923. The plan was created by the Chicago firm of Bennett, Parsons and Frost. The Beaux Arts buildings included in the district include:

Pasadena City Hall,
Pasadena Public Library,
Pasadena Civic Auditorium,
Pasadena Police Department,
Courthouse,
YMCA,
YWCA,
Southern California Gas Company,
United States Post Office.

The district was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The nomination form for the district's placement on the National Register described the civic center as “a nationally significant example of civic art in the 'City Beautiful' style of the 1920’s. The main features of the plan were actually executed, and the key buildings (including City Hall) actually built, by nationally recognized architects in a homogeneous style.” The dominant building is the Pasadena City Hall, built in 1927 in the California Mediterranean Revival style. The City Hall building was designed by San Francisco architects Bakewell and Brown in the style of 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio. The building resembles three of Palladio's domed structures—the church of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, the Hotel des Invalides in Paris and St Paul's Cathedral in London. Without being a direct imitation, Pasadena City Hall is related to them all.