In 1843, Fort Des Moines was built at the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. The fort was named after the Des Moines river, which in turn, got its name from French settlers, who called it Rivière des Moines (River of the Monks). The fort was abandoned in 1846. A town was settled there by homesteaders several years earlier and named after the fort. In 1857, its name was shortened to Des Moines and it became the state capital of Iowa. Nowadays it's the largest city in the state. Des Moines is an industrial, transportation, cultural and governmental center in the heart of the Feed Grains and Livestock Belt. Printing and publishing, agricultural processing and the manufacture of transportation equipment, machinery, metal and plastic products, textiles and apparel are among its industries. The city is also home to numerous insurance companies.

There are numerous 19th century buildings in Des Moines. The streets in downtown Des Moines have wide pavements and are excellent to stroll around. Most of the skyscrapers in the center of the city date from the 1970s and 1980s.

• The East Village is a neighborhood that includes numerous historic buildings, eateries, boutiques, art galleries and residential buildings. The district covers an area that starts at the east of the Des Moines River and extends east to the Capitol building.
• The Iowa State Capitol features a 23-karat gold leafed dome that rises 84 m (275 ft) above downtown Des Moines. The dome is flanked by 4 smaller domes. Guided tours in the building are avaiable. There is a park at the foot of the Capitol.
• The West Capitol Terrace serves as the western access point to the State Capitol Building. At the base of the terrace is a granite map of Iowa that depicts all of the 99 counties in the state.
• Terrace Hill is the residence of Iowa's Governor. The building dates from 1869 and overlooks the city. The surrounding Victorian garden is beautiful. Tours of the building are conducted Tuesdays through Saturdays from March through December. It is also knwon as Hubbell Mansion, Benjamin F. Allen House, or the Iowa Governor's Mansion,
• The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines hosts Broadway shows and special events. It opened in 1979.
• The former Des Moines Public Library serves as the home and headquarters of the Norman Borlaug / World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. The building was restored in 2011. The new branch of the library opened in 2006.
• The Polk County Convention Complex was built in 1985.

• The Equitable Building was constructed in 1924. It has 19 storeys and it was once the tallest building in Iowa.
• The Financial Center was completed in 1973 and has 25 storeys.
• The Ruan Center dates from 1974. It has 36 floors.
• The Des Moines Marriott Hotel is 33 storeys tall and was built in 1981.
• The HUB Tower has 25 storeys and dates from 1985.
• The Plaza Building was constructed in 1985. It has 25 storeys.
• The Principal Financial Group's 45-storey tower at 801 Grand was built in 1991. It is currently the tallest building in Iowa.
• The EMC Insurance Building was erected in 1997 and boasts 19 storeys.
• Construction of the Des Moines Skywalk commenced in the 1980s. The skywalk system is 6.5 km (4 mi) long and connnects many buildings in downtown Des Moines.

• The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is a large greenhouse that features more than 15,000 tropical, subtropical and desert plants. It opened in 1979 and it is located on the east side of the river.
• The Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens and Pavilion were named in honor of former governor Robert D. Ray, who helped to relocate Vietnamese refugees to Iowa during the 1970s and 1980s. The gardens were developed by Des Moines' Asian community. The gardens feature a Chinese pavilion, bonsai landscaping and granite Asian-style sculptures.
• Blank Park Zoo offers several different landscapes, such as a tropical rain forest, the Australian Outback and Africa, including the animals. The zoo covers 8.9 ha (22 acres). The zoo was named after Abraham Harry Blank, who was a businessman, theater owner and philanthropist.
• The Iowa Primate Learning Sanctuary is a scientific research facility, where bonobos and orangutans are studied for their cognitive and communicative capabilities.

• Memorials honoring the people who served in the Spanish–American, Korean and Vietnam Wars are located on the Capitol grounds.
• The 1894 Soldiers and Sailors Monument was erected in 1894 and commemorates the victims of the Civil War. It is located on the grounds of the Capitol.
• The World War II Memorial features sculptures and a Wall of Memories. It is located on the grounds of the Capitol.

• The Iowa Museum of Agriculture and the state fairgrounds.
• The Living History Farms are located in the district of Urbandale. It is an open-air museum, where you can see how people in the region used to live. The museum includes a 1700 Ioway Indian village, an 1850 pioneer farm, an 1875 frontier town, a horse-powered farm from around 1900 and a modern crop center. It is open from May to October.
• The Science Center of Iowa and Blank IMAX Dome Theater is a place where you can learn about science, through interactive displays and activities. The building feaures 3 theaters and it has a surface of 10,000 m² (110,000 square feet). The science center was originally established in 1970 and moved to its current location in 2005.
• The State of Iowa Historical Museum is a modern granite and glass building at the foot of the State Capitol. It has exhibits on the history of Iowa and the collection includes native wildlife, American Indian and pioneer artefacts, as well as political and military items. The museum houses a library, a gift shop and a café. It opened in 1987.
• The Hoyt Sherman Place was once the home of banker / politician Hoyt Sherman. The building dates from 1877.
• The Victorian Jordan House was built in 1850. The mansion was once part of the Underground Railroad and it features different exhibitions in each of its rooms. There is a railroad museum, an exhibition that depicts West Des Moines community history and a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad in Iowa. According to legens, the house is haunted by the ghost of Jordan's daughter Eda, who slid down the barrister and broke her neck when she fell. The Jordan House is located in West Des Moines.
• The Salisbury House was constructed between 1923 and 1928.
• The Wallace House was the former home of Henry Wallace, who was a national leader in agriculture and conservation and the first editor of Wallaces' Farmer farm journal. The Italianate Victorian building dates from 1883 and has been beautifully restored.
• The World Food Prize Hall of Laureates.
• The Center of Science and Industry.
• The Des Moines Art Center has a large collection of paintings, sculptures, modern art and mixed media. It was established in 1948.

• In the city of Altoona, just northeast of Des Moines is the amusement park of Adventureland Park, which features numerous attractions, a hotel and a campground. Another entertanment venue in Altoona is the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino.

Des Moines is the seat of Drake University, the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery and Grand View College, as well as several other educational institutions.

The city suffered several floods in the 1950s and flood control measures were constructed on the Des Moines River. Despite of that, the city was again inundated in 1993.

There are meny hotels, cafés and restaurants in Des Moines. The city is in the south of Iowa and 1,435 km west from Washington D.C.

Des Moines ©Niko Vassios

Capitol Building ©Austin Goode

Des Moines ©Rihards Sergis