The Capitol District (foreground) incorporates historic buildings dating back to the monarchy of Kamehameha II. The state capitol is the large building at middle right with columns set into a surrounding reflecting pool. The intersection at the bottom is King and Punchbowl streets, with the State library (green and white roof) and Honolulu city hall (Honolulu Hale; red tile roof) across Punchbowl from each other. ‘Iolani Palace is just left of center in this photograph. The buildings of downtown Honolulu backdrop the Capitol District

Downtown Honolulu is the current and historic central part of Honolulu—bounded by Nu‘uanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Honolulu Harbor to the south—situated within the larger Honolulu District. In downtown Honolulu are found both modern and historic buildings and complexes, many of the latter declared National Historic Landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places.

Districts

Downtown Honolulu can be subdivided into four neighborhoods, each with its own central focus and mix of buildings. These areas are the Capitol District, the Central Business District, Chinatown, and the waterfront.

Capitol District

The Capitol District, or Civic Center, contains most of the federal, state, and city governmental buildings and centers around the Hawaii State Capitol, Iolani Palace, and Honolulu Hale (Honolulu's city hall). It is roughly bounded by Richards Street on the west, Ward Avenue on the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Nimitz Highway to the south. Buildings in this area include:

• Advertiser Building
• Ali'iolani Hale
• Bishop Estate Building
• Hawai'i State Capitol
• Hawai'i State Library
• Honolulu Hale
• Honolulu Municipal Building
• Honolulu Police Station
• Iolani Barracks
• Iolani Palace
• Kakaako Fire Station
• Kamehameha V Post Office
• Kawaiahao Church
• Leiopapa a Kamehameha Building
• Prince Kuhio Kalanianaole Building
• Territorial Building
• Washington Place

Central Business District

Centered around Bishop Street and Fort Street Mall , the central business district is roughly bounded by Nuuanu Avenue, Nimitz Highway, Richards Street, and Vineyard Boulevard. This area contains most of the headquarters buildings of Hawaii-based companies and most of the skyscrapers. Buildings in this area include:

• Alexander & Baldwin Building
• Armstrong Building
• Army and Navy YMCA
• Bishop Bank Building
• Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew
• Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
• C. Brewer Building
• Central Fire Station
• Dillingham Transportation Building
• First Hawaiian Center
• Fort Street Mall
• Hawai'i Pacific University
• Hawaiian Electric Building
• Judd Building
• Keoua Hale
• McCandless Building
• Melchers Building
• Oahu Railway and Land Terminal
• Royal Brewery
• Stangenwald Building
• Theo H. Davies Building
• Yokohama Specie Bank
• YWCA Building

Chinatown

Located between Nuuanu Stream and Nuuanu Avenue, Honolulu's Chinatown is not just the cultural and commercial center for the city's Chinese community; the shops in this area cater to other Asian ethnic groups as well. Central to this area is the open-air Oahu Market . The area around Nuuanu Avenue has become a center for the arts in recent years, thanks to the recent renovation of the Hawaii Theatre. Buildings in this area include:

• Hawai'i Theatre
• Lum Yip Kee Building
• Mission Memorial Building
• Nippu Jiji Building
• Oahu Market
• Wo Fat Building

Waterfront

Honolulu's waterfront area centers around Aloha Tower, which was once the tallest building in Hawaii and was the site where cruise ships would dock before the advent of air travel between Hawaii and the U.S. Mainland. Recently, cruise ships between the Hawaiian Islands now dock at Honolulu Harbor. Buildings in this area include:

• Aloha Tower
• Falls of Clyde
• Hawai'i Maritime Center
• Honolulu Foreign Trade Zone