— Best Landmark
- And the winner is...
- The Twin Spires
The Basics
Designed: 1895 (Churchill Downs opened in 1875)
Neighborhood: Churchill Downs
Self-description: “The iconic Twin Spires, designed by 24‑year‑old draftsman Joseph Dominic Baldez, remain a beloved symbol of the track.”
Website: churchilldowns.comBest of Louisville Stats
Total nominations: 1 (first nomination for the Twin Spires specifically; Churchill Downs has been nominated for 14 Best of Louisville awards and has won 7)
Total wins: 1The Voting Academy Says
“The iconic Twin Spires have always felt like — well, welcome home. I live in the South End, but it is much more than that. The events leading up to Derby and the parties in backyards are the feeling of family and home. Derby is when I feel most connected to Louisville. And we can’t have Derby without those Twin Spires.”
- And the other nominees are...
- 21c’s David Statue
The Basics
Acquired: 2010 (journey from Istanbul to Louisville commissioned in 2011)
Neighborhood: Downtown
Self-description: “The 30-foot-tall golden replica of Michelangelo’s David, made of fiberglass and spray-painted gold, addresses the issue of value, both economic and artistic.”Best of Louisville Stats
Total nominations: 1 (first nomination for the gold David statue specifically; 21c Museum Hotel and its restaurant, Proof on Main, have been nominated a combined 30-plus times)
Other Best Davids: 1993, Best Place to Have a David Lynch Moment, Krispy Kreme; 1989, Best Candidate to Succeed Mayor Harvey Sloane, David ArmstrongA Nice Internet Review!
“I was visiting Louisville and driving around downtown, exploring the city, when I passed this random giant gold statue of David. Couldn’t believe my eyes.”
- Belle of Louisville
The Basics
Built: 1914
Name: Originally the Idlewild, later the Avalon, Belle of Louisville in 1962
Neighborhood: Downtown dock, and all along the Ohio River
Self-description: “The world’s oldest operating Mississippi River‑style steamboat. We were built two years after the Titanic.”
Website: belleoflouisville.orgBest of Louisville Stats
Total nominations: 5
Total “wins”: 2 (for Best Ill-Advised Calliope Tune, “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus in 1993 and “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin in ’94)
First nomination: 1986, the inaugural Best of Louisville, for Best Tourist AttractionThe Voting Academy Says
“Drifting on the Ohio, watching the city go by, it’s easy to feel like the good outweighs the bad.”
- Big Four Bridge
The Basics
Opened: 2013 (as a pedestrian bridge; 1895 as a railroad bridge)
Neighborhood: Waterfront Park
Self-description: “A treasured destination in our park and our city, the bridge is the perfect spot to watch the sunset. You are sure to get a good workout if you walk from Kentucky to Indiana and back again. At night, the bridge becomes a colorful beacon in our city.”
Website: Big Four BridgeBest of Louisville Stats
Total nominations: 1
The Voting Academy Says
“Folks often call the Big Four Bridge my remote office because it’s where I schedule walking meetings to dream big with other Louisvillians.”
- Big Slugger Bat
The Basics
Opened: 1996
Neighborhood: Downtown
Self-description: “The world’s largest baseball bat, made of carbon steel, is approximately 68,000 pounds and 120 feet long.”
Website: sluggermuseum.comBest of Louisville Stats
Total nominations: 2
First nomination: 2009, Best Louisville LandmarkThe Voting Academy Says
“Yup, totally OK for locals to get their pic with — or, better yet, under — the big Slugger. And no shame whatsoever in getting one of those little Slugger bats too.”