Not every shopping centre can boast the status of a city landmark, and it is almost impossible to imagine that such an object would become one of the main attractions of the state capital. But the Metrocentre shopping and entertainment complex in Phoenix, Arizona, succeeded in it, despite all the difficulties its creators faced. 

For the first time, people heard about that project in 1970, but its construction started a couple of years later. It was a great project of a local architect Robert Fairburn. The building of 130 thousand square meters was erected on the outskirts of the city. But its construction was rather complicated. Locals were opposing this project because of the possible heavy traffic and the following construction of other buildings. They even pursued legal action. And though all their claims were rejected in 1972, it delayed the whole process of building. 

Previously, on the site of the modern shopping centre, there was the abandoned fuselage of Boeing 747. Locals arranged a small ice rink and a minibar in it. The original place was attracting more and more tourists to these places. So the idea came up, and a few years later there was a giant shopping centre where you could buy anything.

It is the largest shopping complex in Arizona and one of the largest in the entire United States of America. It includes more than a hundred large shops, 12 cinema halls, several restaurants, a huge food court, and many children's areas. Its scale is so impressive that visitors jokingly call it an alternative Universe. Here, they are celebrating special events, from birthdays to engagements and weddings. And some people come here to have a tour.