TRAVEL CHICAGO
GENERAL INFORMATION- Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States, after New York City and Los Angeles. Today, the city is an international hub for finance, commerce, industry, technology, telecommunications and transportation, with O'Hare International Airport being the fifth-busiest airport in the world. Manufacturing, printing, publishing and food processing also play major roles in the city's economy. Several medical products and services companies are headquartered in the Chicago area, including Baxter International, Boeing, Abbott Laboratories and the Healthcare Financial Services division of General Electric. Chicago was the birthplace of the refrigerated rail car (Swift),mail-order retailing (Sears and Montgomery Ward),the car radio (Motorola),the TV remote control (Zenith).Chicago was founded in 1833, and most of the early building were constructed around the mouth of the Chicago River. The Chicago Loop is the central business district. The planning of the Chicago's streets were laid out in a street grid pattern. The Chicago's Western Avenue is the longest continuous urban street in the world. Other famous streets include North Michigan Avenue, North State Street, Clark and Belmont Avenue
and on engineering side the 1,450-foot Sears Tower, completed in 1974, is the tallest building in North America and the third tallest in the world. The top ten highest buildings at Chicago are-Sears Tower (1451ft)-The Trumph Tower(1362ft)-Aon Center (1136ft)-John Hancock Centre ( 1127ft)-AT&T Corporation Centre (1007ft)-Two Prudential Plaza (995ft)-311S Wacker Dr (961ft)-900N Michigan (871ft)-Chase Tower (850ft).
and on engineering side the 1,450-foot Sears Tower, completed in 1974, is the tallest building in North America and the third tallest in the world. The top ten highest buildings at Chicago are-Sears Tower (1451ft)-The Trumph Tower(1362ft)-Aon Center (1136ft)-John Hancock Centre ( 1127ft)-AT&T Corporation Centre (1007ft)-Two Prudential Plaza (995ft)-311S Wacker Dr (961ft)-900N Michigan (871ft)-Chase Tower (850ft).
HISTORY- The name Chicago comes from a Miami Indian word for the wild leeks that grew on the bank of the short Chicago River. Over the centuries the Miami, Sauk, Fox and Potawatomi tribes all lived in the area. The first non-Indian to settle within Chicago’s future boundaries was a Santo Domingan of mixed African and European ancestry, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, who arrived around 1780 who built a farm at the mouth of the Chicago River in the 1780s.The territory was claimed by the United States in the late 18th century, at that time the area was inhabited by the Potawatomi Indians. In 1795, the U.S. government built Fort Dearborn at what is now the corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive. It was destroyed by British forces during the War of 1812 in the Battle of Fort Dearborn and all the inhabitants were killed or taken prisoner. Fort Dearborn was rebuilt in 1818 and used until 1837.Chicago was incorporated as a town in 1833 and as a city in 1837, when its population reached 4,000. The completion of the Illinois & Michigan Canal in 1848 created a water link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River,the Illinois and Michigan Canal allowed shipping from the Great Lakes through Chicago to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. But the canal was soon rendered obsolete by railroads. Chicago became the world's largest rail hub, and one of its busiest ports by shipping traffic on the Great Lakes. So by 1860 the city became the nation's trans-shipment and warehousing centre. Commodity resources, such as lumber, iron and other ores, were brought to Chicago and Ohio for processing, and shipped to East and West. In 1848 Chicago got its first telegraph and railroad. Two innovations, grain elevators and the Board of Trade’s wheat grading standards—quickly transformed the way crops were sold. By 1854 the city was the world’s largest grain port and had more than 30,000 residents, many of them European immigrants. The buildings, streets and sidewalks were made of wood, and most of them burned to the ground in the Great Chicago Fire. In October 1871, a fire destroyed one-third of Chicago and left more than 1, 00,000 homeless. Its initial spark remains unknown, but it was fuelled by drought, high winds and wooden buildings. The factories and railroads were largely spared, and the city rebuilt with astonishing speed. The Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station at Michigan and Chicago Avenues are among the few buildings to have survived the fire. In 1885 Chicago gave the world its first skyscraper, the 10-story Home Insurance Building. Nationwide social upheavals surrounding World War I brought many African-American migrants to Chicago from the South. They found new opportunities to take jobs in the factories and meatpacking plants. A vibrant cultural community that soon gave birth to Chicago’s versions of blues and jazz. Tensions arose between the newcomers and Chicago’s established Irish, Polish and German ethnic groups, leading to a string of bombings of African-American homes between 1917 and 1921, as well as an eight-day race riot in 1919.
LAKE MICHIGAN- Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. The other four Great Lakes are shared by the U.S. and Canada. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To remember the Great Lakes names, remember the word "HOMES."(H=Huron, O=Ontario, M=Michigan, E=Erie, S=Superior).The length of the lake is 494kms and width 190kms.The average depth is 280 feet and the maximum is 925 feet. The shore length is 2300kms.Elevation is at 577feet. Outlet to the east, is conjoined with Lake Huron through the wide Straits of Mackinac. Lake Michigan is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The Saint Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes Waterway opened the Great Lakes to ocean-going vessels. Wider ocean-going container ships do not fit through the locks on these routes, and thus shipping is limited on the lakes. Despite their vast size, large sections of the Great Lakes freeze in winter. The lake borders the city of Chicago, and within the city limits there are 26 miles of shoreline, 15 beachfront areas and several marinas housing thousands of boats. In fact, Chicago operates the nation’s largest municipal harbour system, making it easy to get out on the water by boat. There’s even an 18-mile park, the Chicago Lakefront Bike Path where locals and visitors walk, bike and run along the shoreline. In warmer months, it’s possible to kayak or canoe on Lake Michigan, with boat rentals available right downtown. More passive passengers can opt for a sail or a ride on a traditional schooner, or go for the luxury experience with a lunch, brunch, dinner or sunset cruise on an elegant multilevel ship with indoor and outdoor space. These cruises often include dancing, entertainment and drinks.
GEOGRAPHY- The city lies beside huge freshwater Lake Michigan(Lake Superior is on west and Lake Huron on the east of the lake), and two rivers—the Chicago River in downtown and the Calumet River in the industrial far South Side—flow entirely or partially through Chicago.
AREA- 606KM2 (city)
POPULATION- 27,14,900(city)
CO-ORDINATES- 41°52′55″N 087°37′40″W
TIME ZONE-UTC -6.00 Summer UTC -5.00
CLIMATE-
MONTH JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
Av HIGH -0.5 2 8 15 21 27 29 28 24 17 9 2
Av LOW -8 -6 -0.5 5 11 17 20 19 14 8 1 -5
POPULATION- 27,14,900(city)
CO-ORDINATES- 41°52′55″N 087°37′40″W
TIME ZONE-UTC -6.00 Summer UTC -5.00
CLIMATE-
MONTH JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
Av HIGH -0.5 2 8 15 21 27 29 28 24 17 9 2
Av LOW -8 -6 -0.5 5 11 17 20 19 14 8 1 -5
CHICAGO AIRPORT- O'Hare International Airport (IATA: ORD), also known simply as O'Hare Airport, is an airport located in Chicago, Illinois, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop. It is the largest hub of United Airlines and the second-largest hub of American Airlines. O'Hare is the fifth busiest airport in the world (after Atlanta USA, Beijing, London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda) with 6,66,35,000 passengers passing through the airport in 2012. O'Hare has four passenger terminals with nine concourses and a total of 182 aircraft gates. All international arrivals at O'Hare arrive at Terminal 5, as the other terminals do not have Customs facilities. Access within the airport complex can be accomplished using O'Hare's Airport Transit System (ATS), a 2.5 mi (4 km)-long automated people mover system that operates 24 hours a day, connecting all four terminals and the remote parking lots. Trains from the Blue Line of the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' terminate at the airport from an underground station, accessible by pedestrian tunnels from Terminals 1, 2, and 3.
CHICAGO SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS-
001- SEARS TOWER (WILLIS TOWER) –Willis Tower is a 108 story and 1451 feet high skyscraper. It remained tallest from 1974 to 1998. At the time the Sears tower was constructed in 1974, it was the world's tallest building, eclipsing New York's twin-towered World Trade Centre by 25 meters (83 ft.). It would keep the title of tallest building in the world until the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were constructed in 1997. Anyhow, the Sears tower is still the tallest Chicago skyscraper, exceeding the height of the number two, the Trump International Hotel and Tower by 27 meters (89 ft) and the Aon Center by 96 meters (315 ft). The Sears Tower's observation deck - known as the Skydeck - is one of the Chicago's most popular attractions. At 1,353 ft. or 412 m, it's Chicago's highest observatory, higher than the John Hancock Centre’s by 323 ft. (98m).The 70 second elevator ride up to the 103rd floor deck.
The most spectacular attraction at the Skydeck is “the Ledge Glass Boxes”, a glass balcony extending 4.3 feet outside the 103 floor, where you can look straight down. It will make most people feel uneasy at first but the balconies offer spectacular views over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River. The tower was named after Sears, Roebuck and Co., an American chain of Department Stores which was headquartered here. Each box is comprised of three layers of half-inch thick glass laminated into one seamless unit. On good days, you can see for 40 to 50 miles (64 to 80 kilometres), as far as the states of Indiana, Michigan. Iowa, and Wisconsin. The tower is easily accessible by bus and El trains. Allow at least an hour for a trip to the top, a stroll along the Skydeck and back down to the ground. The Skydeck entrance is off of Jackson Boulevard.
The most spectacular attraction at the Skydeck is “the Ledge Glass Boxes”, a glass balcony extending 4.3 feet outside the 103 floor, where you can look straight down. It will make most people feel uneasy at first but the balconies offer spectacular views over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River. The tower was named after Sears, Roebuck and Co., an American chain of Department Stores which was headquartered here. Each box is comprised of three layers of half-inch thick glass laminated into one seamless unit. On good days, you can see for 40 to 50 miles (64 to 80 kilometres), as far as the states of Indiana, Michigan. Iowa, and Wisconsin. The tower is easily accessible by bus and El trains. Allow at least an hour for a trip to the top, a stroll along the Skydeck and back down to the ground. The Skydeck entrance is off of Jackson Boulevard.
002- MAGNIFICENT MILE -The Magnificent Mile, is the length of road in northern part of Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River and Lake Shore Drive/Oak Street, and is the Chicago's version of the Champs-Elysées, a grand wide boulevard with exclusive shops, museums, restaurants and luxury hotels. At the south end bordered by the Michigan Avenue Bridge and at its northern end by Oak Street Bridge, the Magnificent Mile is a unique street. The wide sidewalks, often adorned with well-maintained flowerbeds are always crowded. The areas around the Magnificent Mile are some of Chicago's wealthiest area. All the big names in shopping are present here, from Disney, Apple and Niketown to Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. Chicago’s building booms in the 1920s, 70s and 90s turned the once low-rise residential street by tall skyscrapers. Architectural landmarks like the John Hancock Center and the Tribune Tower can be found. Drake Hotel at the northern end and the now famous Wrigley Building at the southern end of N. Michigan Ave. are there. They were soon followed by other remarkable buildings, including the Allerton Hotel (1924), the Tribune Tower (1925), the Medinah Athletic Club (1929) and 919 N. Michigan Avenue (1929). Other large buildings, including the nearby Water Tower Place (1976), a tower with more than 100 shops, theatres and restaurants. Another boom started at the end of the 1980s and added some more skyscrapers at the Magnificent Mile, among them the 900 N. Michigan Avenue (1989) and Park Tower (2000). The oldest building along the Magnificent Mile is the Old Water Tower.
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003- NAVY PIER-Navy Pier is a large pier on Lake Michigan near Streeterville, close to Chicago's downtown. Originally known as the Municipal Pier no- 2. The pier was designed as a shipping and entertainment area. In 1916 the pier was opened to the public and at that time it was the world's largest pier, 292 ft. wide and 3000ft long (89m x 914m).
Lake Tour-The Navy Pier is home to many attractions. The Navy Pier is also a starting point for many boat trips. Take a 40-minute sightseeing cruise on Lake Michigan and marvel at all of Chicago's fabulous lakefront sights. See Chicago's major skyscrapers like the John Hancock Center, Aon, Trump Tower, Willis Tower (Sears Tower) and more. Spot downtown areas like the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain.
(i)-Headhouse-The most western building, a brick and terra cotta building with two prominent towers is the Navy Pier Headhouse. The Headhouse is now home to Chicago's children museum.
(ii)-Granite Fountain-At the western side of the building is the 19 acre (8 ha) Gateway Park, featuring a modern, computerized granite fountain with 240 jets.
(iii)-The Hall- At the other end of the pier is an Auditorium, also known as the Hall. This beautiful building with a magnificent Grand Ballroom measures 138 ft. by 150 f. (42m x 48m) and has a 100ft (30m) high half-domed ceiling.
The Navy Pier features two museums: the Children's Museum(which plans a move to Grant Park) and
(iv)- Smith Museum-It is of Stained Glass Windows, which opened in 2000.
(v) Shakespeare Theatre - A 7 story Shakespeare Theatre complex with a 525 seat theatre is another recent addition to the Navy Pier.
(vi)- Aeroballoon -The Navy Pier Aeroballoon, an anchored Hlium-filled balloon that floats above the lakefront with up to 18 passengers allows visitors to admire Chicago's skyline from a height of 350ft (107m).
(vii)- Miniature Golf Course -An 18 hole Miniature Golf Course, a funhouse maze,
(viii)-A Beer Garden.
(ix)- a 40ft high wave swinger
(x)- IMAX Theatre.
(xi)-Ferris Wheel-The most eye-catching is the 148 ft (45m) high Ferris Wheel. It was modelled after the first Ferris wheel built for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition.
(Xii) Musical Carousel -Near the Ferris Wheel is a 44ft high musical carousel with 36 hand-painted animals.
(xiii)-Skating Ring-The skyline stage, a 100ft (30m) high vaulted roof structure, is used as an ice skating rink during wintertime and as a 1500-seat theatre during summer.
Lake Tour-The Navy Pier is home to many attractions. The Navy Pier is also a starting point for many boat trips. Take a 40-minute sightseeing cruise on Lake Michigan and marvel at all of Chicago's fabulous lakefront sights. See Chicago's major skyscrapers like the John Hancock Center, Aon, Trump Tower, Willis Tower (Sears Tower) and more. Spot downtown areas like the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain.
(i)-Headhouse-The most western building, a brick and terra cotta building with two prominent towers is the Navy Pier Headhouse. The Headhouse is now home to Chicago's children museum.
(ii)-Granite Fountain-At the western side of the building is the 19 acre (8 ha) Gateway Park, featuring a modern, computerized granite fountain with 240 jets.
(iii)-The Hall- At the other end of the pier is an Auditorium, also known as the Hall. This beautiful building with a magnificent Grand Ballroom measures 138 ft. by 150 f. (42m x 48m) and has a 100ft (30m) high half-domed ceiling.
The Navy Pier features two museums: the Children's Museum(which plans a move to Grant Park) and
(iv)- Smith Museum-It is of Stained Glass Windows, which opened in 2000.
(v) Shakespeare Theatre - A 7 story Shakespeare Theatre complex with a 525 seat theatre is another recent addition to the Navy Pier.
(vi)- Aeroballoon -The Navy Pier Aeroballoon, an anchored Hlium-filled balloon that floats above the lakefront with up to 18 passengers allows visitors to admire Chicago's skyline from a height of 350ft (107m).
(vii)- Miniature Golf Course -An 18 hole Miniature Golf Course, a funhouse maze,
(viii)-A Beer Garden.
(ix)- a 40ft high wave swinger
(x)- IMAX Theatre.
(xi)-Ferris Wheel-The most eye-catching is the 148 ft (45m) high Ferris Wheel. It was modelled after the first Ferris wheel built for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition.
(Xii) Musical Carousel -Near the Ferris Wheel is a 44ft high musical carousel with 36 hand-painted animals.
(xiii)-Skating Ring-The skyline stage, a 100ft (30m) high vaulted roof structure, is used as an ice skating rink during wintertime and as a 1500-seat theatre during summer.
004- GRANT PARK- Grant Park is Chicago's principal downtown park. It is located between Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan. Buckingham Fountain, one of the most famous monuments in Chicago, occupies a prominent site at the centre of the park. In 1901 the park was renamed Grant Park after the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant. Even though the park is 300 acres (121 ha) large. It is bisected by wide strips of busy roads. The large lawns in the park are ideal for festivals. During summertime Grant Park plays host to a number of events and festivals such as the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival and the Grant Park Music Festival. The park is adorned with many more monuments. i- Just northwest of the fountain, across South Columbus Drive, is a statue of a sitting Lincoln. It is one of five statues of Abraham Lincoln - the 16th president of the United States - in Chicago. ii- the Spearman and the Bowman, 17ft high (5 meter) bronze equestrian statues of Indian warriors. The statues, seem to guard the entrance to the park at Congress Parkway. They were erected to commemorate the Native Americans. iii- another equestrian statue, set atop a mound near East 9th Street. It was built in honour of John Logan, a civil war general. iv- The main attraction in Grant Park is the Clarence Buckingham Fountain. The fountain was commissioned in 1927 by Kate Buckingham to honour her late brother Clarence. The design of the large fountain is based on the 'Bassin de Latone' at the garden of Versailles,Paris. The Buckingham Fountain is best seen at night when it is animated with a computerized choreography of colour spotlights. Proudly referred to as Chicago's "front yard," Grant Park is home to three world-class museums - the Art Institute, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium - as well as the Museum Campus, a 1995 transformation of paved areas into beautiful green space. It’s also among the city's loveliest and most prominent parks.
005- MILLENNIUM PARK -Built on a site that was controlled by the Illinois Central Railroad for almost 150 years, Millennium Park is the crowning glory of the city. The 24.5 acre (10 ha) Millennium Park is a magnificent modern park with state of the art facilities, unique public artwork and beautiful gardens. The new park, bordered by East Monroe Drive, North Michigan Avenue, East Randolph Street and North Columbus Drive was constructed on top of a desolate rail yard and greatly enhances the neighbourhood. The park includes an outdoor music pavilion, an ice rink and a theatre - built below ground - as well as a modern fountain and an iconic monument, the Cloud Gate. A winding, 282 m / 925 feet long footbridge connects Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park with the new park. Another bridge, the Nichols Bridgeway, connects Millennium Park with the Art Institute across Monroe Street. The park opened in July 2004.Millennium Park is one of Chicago's most spectacular sights.
i-Pritzker Pavilion-The centrepiece of the Millennium Park is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. This ultra-contemporary outdoor concert venue seats 4,000 with room for an additional 7,000 on the Great Lawn. Its design is spectacular and its sound system state-of-the-art. ii- Harris Theatre-If you prefer indoor concerts or theatre, visit the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theatre for Music and Dance. This theatre seats just over 1,500 people and is perfect for more intimate events, such as ballets or chamber music concerts. iii- Crown Fountain-Kids and adults alike love the innovative Crown Fountain. The fountain, consists of two 50-foot (15m) glass block towers at each end of a shallow, sparkling reflecting pool. The towers project video images of diverse Chicago citizens spitting out water. iv- Lurie Garden-The 2.5-acre (1 hectare) Lurie Garden. Hundreds of colourful flowers and green shrubs cover the garden. You'll find mostly native plants, a reference to the tall prairie grasses found in Illinois. A 15-foot-high (4.5 m) "shoulder" hedge represents Carl Sandburg's famous description of Chicago as the "City of the Big Shoulders". v- Cloud Gate-The quirky Cloud Gate, designed by British artist Anish Kapoor. This bean-shaped structure was inspired by liquid mercury and is among the largest sculpture of its kind in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33-feet high (20 x 10 meter). It weighs a whopping 100 tons and is made of polished stainless steel plates. The shiny material reflects the magnificent Chicago skyline. The 12-foot-high arch (3.7m) in the middle of the sculpture serves as a gate and welcomes visitors to walk under the structure, touch the steel, and view the distorted reflections of themselves and their companions. vi-BP Footbridge- The magnificent 925-foot-long (282 meter) winding BP Bridge - often referred to as the 'Snake Bridge' - is well worth a stroll. Connecting Millennium Park with Daley Bicentennial Plaza, it provides great views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Brushed stainless steel panels line the sides of the unique bridge and provide an acoustic barrier for traffic noise as it crosses busy Columbus Avenue. The hardwood deck is easily manoeuvrable for visitors with disabilities. vii-The Classic Millennium Monument with its stately Doric columns rising 40 feet (12 meter) in the air. viii- Millennium Fountain -At the Centre of the monument is the Millennium Fountain. ix-Ice Skating Ring-Winters take visitors to the McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink, boasting state-of-the-art ice-making machines that can even withstand unusually warm winter weather. |
006-CLOUD GATE at MILLENNIUM PARK- Cloud Gate is a large public sculpture which was first unveiled at the opening of Millennium Park in 2004. It soon became one of the city's most photographed attractions, and is now one a famous symbol of Chicago. It is a stainless steel construction consisting of 168 plates, each 0.4 inch thick and seamlessly welded together. The structure weighs 100 tons and measures 10 meters high and 20 meters wide (33 x 66 ft.). People can walk through the 3.7 meter high central arch, where they can look up to the large 'dent' and see numerous distorted reflections of themselves. Now seamless and polished, the Cloud Gate reflects and distorts the skyline of Michigan Avenue, the sky, and the people nearby, who always seem to have the urge to touch the sculpture's silvery surface.
007- BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN at GRANT PARK-Buckingham Fountain, officially known as the 'Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain' is one of Chicago's most popular landmarks. The fountain is located in Grant Park at the centre of a formally laid out garden. The fountain was commissioned in 1927 by Kate Buckingham to honour her late brother Clarence. She had frequently travelled to Europe, where she admired the huge public fountains and wanted to bring some of Europe's monumentality to Chicago. She also left an endowment to maintain the fountain. The design of the fountain is based on the 'Bassin de Latone' at the Versailles Palace. The fountain rises more than 7 meters high (23ft) and consists of 3 layers of basins surrounded by four pairs of bronze seahorses. Each sea horse symbolizes a state bordering Lake Michigan (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin) while the fountain represents the lake itself. One of the largest fountains in the world, the Buckingham Fountain measures 85m/280ft in diameter. It features 134 jets powered by 3 pumps. The fountain's hourly 20 minute water display starts with small sprays. While the basins are filled more and more jets are activated until it reaches its climax when the central jet pushes water up to a height of 46m/150ft. It operates from April to October, with regular water shows and evening colour-light shows. During the winter, the fountain is decorated with festival lights. The animation is best seen at dusk - after 8 pm - when it is accompanied with music and beautifully animated with a now computerized choreography of colour spotlights.
008- CROWN FOUNTAIN at MILLENNIUM PARK-One of the highlights in Chicago's Millennium Park is the modern and spectacular Crown Fountain. Its two glass towers are illuminated with LED lighting that shows moving images of Chicagoans' faces. The fountain, financed with private donations including a 10 million dollar gift of the Crown Family, consists of two 15 meter (50ft) high towers flanking a 71 meter wide (232 ft.) granite plaza. The most remarkable aspect about the towers are the LED powered video screens that show close-up faces of about 1000 Chicagoans. The walls of the towers are made of clear glass bricks. At night they seem to glow. During the day the LED lights show faces on the side facing the central plaza while the other sides are dark. During intervals between the displays of different faces, the towers are completely dark.
009-CHICAGO RIVER- To see some of the prettiest views of the city, hop in a boat, kayak, canoe, or gondola and sail down the river. From the mouth of the river on Lake Michigan heading inland you’ll pass Navy Pier, Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Marina City and the Merchandise Mart. Heading down the south branch, you’ll pass Union Station and the Civic Opera House. One of the most spectacular events on the Chicago River is St. Patrick's Day, when the river is dyed green. The actual event does not necessarily occur on St. Patrick's Day and is scheduled for the Saturday of the closest weekend. Flowing through downtown Chicago, the river that bears the name of the city has an interesting history. The river has been transformed into a recreational area with sightseeing boats and kayaks. Along the banks are pedestrian friendly promenades lined with café's and eateries. The banks of the 156-mile-long (251 km) Chicago River were the chosen location for most Illini and Miami Indian Tribes who settled in America's Midwest. When colonization began, others chose the area near the river as their desired location. In 1900, engineers accomplished what was considered one of the most remarkable feats of the early 20th century. They reversed the direction of the Chicago River. The river originally flowed into Lake Michigan. To improve the situation, constructed a series of canal locks that allowed the river to flow into the newly built Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Many of Chicago's greatest buildings border the Chicago river, making the river ideal for architectural boat tours. There are several popular river cruises you can choose from. Most either start near the Michigan Avenue Bridge or Navy Pier. The Chicago River is best accessed by the Michigan Avenue Bridge, which lies at the foot of the Magnificent Mile, between the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower. This is where you can rent kayaks and canoes. Navy Pier is another place to hop on a boat for a ride on the river. This area has the most concentration of river walks and restaurants. Chicago Architecture River Cruise is od 75 minutes duration.
010- RIVERWALK-Plans to develop the banks of the Chicago River into a public walkway were already created at the beginning of the 20th century but they only started to materialize almost 100 years later i.e. in 1999. The construction of a continuous walkway on both riverbanks along a 1.3 mile (2 km) long stretch along the Chicago River between Lake Street and Michigan Lake. The walkway also passes the Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum, located at the southwest tower of the Michigan Avenue bridge. The Riverwalk is at its widest between State and Wabash Street, where you'll find the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza, also known as Wabash Memorial Plaza. The centrepiece of the plaza is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, built in 2005. The memorial features a waterfall and a central pool. Along the side of the pool is a timeline with significant events that took place during the Vietnam War. The names of more than 2,900 Illinois men who died in the Vietnam War are engraved in a wall.
011-MICHIGAN AVENUE BRIDGE-First opened to traffic in 1920, the beautiful Michigan Avenue Bridge connects Chicago's north and south and accommodates thousands of cars and foot passengers each day. The Michigan Avenue Bridge is a double-deck, double-leaf trunnion bascule bridge (is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span to provide clearance for boat traffic.)the first of its kind ever built. Because it has two leaves, the Michigan Avenue Bridge is known as a Double Bascule Trunnion. Aside from the mechanics, however, it's the bas relief sculptures on the bridge that make it one of the most photographed sights in Chicago. The sculptures depict important events in early Chicago history and are easily viewed while traversing the bridge on foot.
012-OAK STREET BEACH-Oak Street Beach is just one of about 26 beaches in Chicago. The beach is one of the city's most popular beach and its location near the densely populated Streeterville and
Gold Coast neighbourhoods and its magnificent views of Chicago's downtown and the John Hancock Centre in particular. Chicago's Oak Street Beach is a true "urban" beach. This man-made beach draws crowds of swimmers who come to enjoy the soft sand and refreshing waters of Lake Michigan. The sand of the beach has been shipped in from elsewhere, the beach was only created in 1890. Located just north of the city's famed Magnificent Mile. The stretch of sand at this beach is wide and accommodates lots of sunbathers. However, if you arrive on a particularly warm summer weekend, you may have a tough time finding a spot on the sand. Young people gather on fashionable Oak Street Beach for high-energy games of beach volleyball and the area is also popular with cyclists, roller bladders, and joggers. At night, it's a pleasant place to stroll and view the lights of the city. Dogs are allowed on the beach and restrooms are available for guests, as are concessions. One of the most popular hang-outs in the area is the Oak Street Beachstro, where visitors can grab a cool drink or a quick burger, sandwich, or other goody. To reach the beach, it is best to use the pedestrian tunnels at Oak or Division streets.
Gold Coast neighbourhoods and its magnificent views of Chicago's downtown and the John Hancock Centre in particular. Chicago's Oak Street Beach is a true "urban" beach. This man-made beach draws crowds of swimmers who come to enjoy the soft sand and refreshing waters of Lake Michigan. The sand of the beach has been shipped in from elsewhere, the beach was only created in 1890. Located just north of the city's famed Magnificent Mile. The stretch of sand at this beach is wide and accommodates lots of sunbathers. However, if you arrive on a particularly warm summer weekend, you may have a tough time finding a spot on the sand. Young people gather on fashionable Oak Street Beach for high-energy games of beach volleyball and the area is also popular with cyclists, roller bladders, and joggers. At night, it's a pleasant place to stroll and view the lights of the city. Dogs are allowed on the beach and restrooms are available for guests, as are concessions. One of the most popular hang-outs in the area is the Oak Street Beachstro, where visitors can grab a cool drink or a quick burger, sandwich, or other goody. To reach the beach, it is best to use the pedestrian tunnels at Oak or Division streets.
013- OLD WATER TOWER (Old Water Tower and Pumping Station) -The Water Tower and nearby pumping station were the only two buildings in downtown Chicago that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1781 which razed the whole city to the ground. The Tower is situated at 800 N. Michigan Avenue, at the centre of Magnificent Mile and contrasts sharply with nearby modern buildings such as John Hancock Centre and Water Tower Place. Constructed in 1869 using big limestone blocks, the Chicago Water Tower, resembles more a tiny European medieval castle than a water tower. It houses a 40 meter standpipe which was used to equalize the pressure of the water pumped from the adjacent pumping station. The tower reaches a height of 154 feet (47 meter) and towered over all the neighbouring buildings. The tower became functionally obsolete in 1906. Today the tower is one of the most important historic attractions in Chicago. It houses a gallery which showcases works from local photographers.
014-SHEDD AQUARIUM at GRANT PARK- Chicago's Shedd Aquarium is located at the Museum Campus, just south of Grant Park. The aquarium contains over 25,000 fish, and was for some time the largest indoor aquarium in the world with 5,000,000 US gallons. The campus, which also comprises the nearby Field Museum of Natural History and Max Adler Planetarium, is one of Chicago's major tourist draws. In 1924 when John Graves Shedd, a prominent businessman, donated 2 million dollar for the creation of an aquarium in Chicago. The Aquarium opened in December 1929. Shedd Aquarium houses some 20,000 aquatic animals representing 1,500 different species. The aquarium contains several exhibits, the most notable of which are the Caribbean Reef, the Wild Reef and the Oceanarium.
015- ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO at GRANT PARK-The famous bronze lions that grace its elegant exterior to the centuries of artwork that hang on the walls of this expansive gallery, the Art Institute of Chicago is a Chicago gem. The exterior of the Art Institute is one of the most photographed landmarks in Chicago as the two huge lions that greet visitors at the entrance to the museum. Founded in 1879 as both a school and museum, the building that originally housed the Art Institute of Chicago. The museum's collection of Impressionist Art is certainly one of the finest in the country. American and European works in the Modern Wing, by Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse. The Arms and Armour exhibit, spanning four centuries; exquisite European decorative arts; the museum's celebrated photography collection; or the Asian exhibits, featuring 5,000 years of art work from China, Korea, Japan, India, southwest Asia, and the Near and Middle East. There are also galleries with Roman, Greek and Egyptian artefacts as well as a gallery with a fine collection of African Art.
016- FIELD MUSEUM at GRANT PARK-Chicago's Field Museum is considered one of the finest natural history museums in the U.S. It even gained national acclaim when Steven Spielberg made it the home base for the esteemed archaeologist in his Indiana Jones movies. The Field Museum was originally founded to house the biological and anthropological collections assembled for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.In more than a century, the museum has grown into a home for more than 20 million specimens and a 25,000 volume natural history library. The Field Museum boasts a number of both permanent and temporary exhibits that will appeal to museum goers of all ages. Visitors can explore the three floors of the museum on their own or take a guided "highlights" tour which departs twice each day and gives you the inside story on some of the museum's most popular artefacts.
017- MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY-The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the most popular museums in the United States. It covers diverse areas like energy, the environment, the human body, space exploration and transportation. It is located in the South Side, not far from the University of Chicago. The museum has three floors, covering a total of 350,000 sq. ft. or 32,520 sq. m. It has more than 800 exhibits and over 2,000 interactive units.
018-CHICAGO THEATER- Built in 1921 during the Golden Age of entertainment. "The Wonder Theatre of the World", the Chicago Theatre was the first truly lavish movie theatre in America. This French Baroque-style theatre - both inside and out. The grand lobby inside is modelled after the Royal Chapel of Versailles. It's five stories high and surrounded by gallery promenades at the mezzanine and balcony levels. Ascend to the balcony on a grand staircase that was modelled after the one in the magnificent Paris Opera House. The theatre itself seats 3,600 patrons and is seven stories high. In all, it covers about half of a large city block.
019-CITY HALL- The imposing neo-classical building was constructed between 1905 and 1911. The granite façades are dominated by monumental Corinthian columns. The columns rise to a height of 75 feet (23 meter). The structure is essentially a large office building consisting of two symmetrical buildings, with the west section being the City Hall and the east section - facing Daley Plaza - being the County Building. In 2001 a roof garden was created on the west half of the building's roof (the city hall section) as a way to promote urban roof gardens and reduce the building's energy consumption. Completed in 2001, the rooftop garden was designed to test different types of green roof systems, heating and cooling benefits, success rates of native and non-native vegetation, and reductions in rainwater runoff. The three systems integrated into the design include lightweight soils at 4, 6 and 18 inches in depth. These varying green roof systems are recognized respectively as Extensive, semi-intensive, and Intensive green roofs. Soils were fabricated using lightweight soil mixture guidelines developed in Germany over the past 20 years.
020- LINCOLN PARK ZOO-Lincoln Park is the largest park in Chicago. Long and narrow, it begins at North Avenue and follows along the banks of Lake Michigan for quite a number of miles. The area of the zoo is 1,200 acres. Founded in 1868, the Lincoln Park Zoo is the oldest free public zoo in the country. Lincoln Park Zoo boasts more than 80 species of mammals, from the ordinary to the exotic. The Farm-in-the-Zoo is another interactive exhibit where kids can milk cows, taste honey, and churn butter. Guests can even experience what it might be like to "hatch" from an egg.
021-JOHN HANCOCK CENTER-The John Hancock Centre is one of the Chicago skyscrapers. The 100 - story building, completed in 1969, has a remarkable design, with the huge X-braces serving both a structural and a visual purpose. Visually, it gives the impression of stability and it moves the eye away from the human-sized windows. The John Hancock Centre is a multifunction building. It includes 48 stories of apartments , 29 stories offices, shops, a hotel, a swimming pool, an ice rink, restaurant and on top of the 344 meters (1127 ft.) tall building radio and television facilities. On top it offers services like its own post office and a refuse collection. The observation deck at the top of the John Hancock Centre gives one of the best views. An elevator whisks you 94 floors up for stellar, panoramic views of Lake Michigan and Chicago from its viewing platform. Or, take the elevator two floors higher to Hancock's 96th floor Signature Lounge, where you can enjoy a glass of wine in a comfy seat while enjoying the same views from the platform below. The Hancock Observatory and Tower is located on North Michigan Avenue, near the beginning of the “Magnificent Mile” shopping stretch.
022- WRIGLEY BUILDING-Located at the intersection of the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue, lies one of the city's most famous buildings. The Wrigley Building serves as the headquarters of the Wrigley (chewing gum) company and was built in 1920 by the company's founder, William Wrigley Jr. The Wrigley building stands out with its sparkling white terra-cotta cladding, the well-proportioned architecture and the night-time floodlighting. It was in fact the first landmark in Chicago to be floodlighted. The clock tower on the south building features four large dials. Each dial has a diameter of about 6 meter (20ft). The aluminium hour and minute hands on the clock are respectively more than 1.8 meter and 2.8 meter long (6 ft. and 9 ft.).
023- TRIBUNE TOWER- The Tribune Tower is a neo-Gothic skyscraper located at a prominent site near the Michigan Avenue Bridge in Chicago. The Tribune Tower was completed in 1925 and reaches a height of 141 meters. With its decorative buttresses at the top, the Chicago Tribune Tower remains a remarkable architectural monument. An interesting fact is that the Tribune Tower contains many famous stones incorporated in the wall, including rock fragments from the Alamo, the Colosseum and the Chinese Wall. A steel fragment from the World Trade Centre in New York is also added to the wall.
024- AQUA-The Aqua tower was completed in 2009, its unique design with a rippling facade of irregular balconies was critics for its fascinating visual impact. The 82 story tower rises to a height of about 250 meter (819 feet) in a cluster of skyscrapers at the Lakeshore East area, just north of Millennium Park. The pattern of undulating balconies, from the tower's base all the way up to the top, make for an interesting façade. The effect is especially beautiful when seen up close, when it looks almost like waves in the ocean, which explains the tower's name.
025- MERCHANDISE MART-Merchandise Mart is an imposing building located at the north bank of the Chicago river between Wells and Orleans Street. For 10 years Merchandise Mart held the title of the world's largest building. In 1941 the Pentagon in Washington, DC dethroned Merchandise Mart as the world's largest building, but even by today's standards Merchandise Mart is an immense office building with 13.6 km of corridors, it is still one of the largest commercial buildings in the world, 25 floors high and two city blocks long. Just outside the Merchandise, along the riverside, stand a series of eight pillars with large busts on top. This is the Merchant's Hall of Fame and each of the bronze busts represent a famous retailer such as Frank Woolworth and Marshall Field. The Hall of Fame was created in 1953 and was an initiative of Joseph P. Kennedy, at the time the owner of the Merchandise Mart. His goal was to "immortalize outstanding American merchants".
026- MARINA CITY-Marina city is a complex of two cylindrical towers near the Chicago River. Due to their unique shape, the towers are locally known as the 'corn cobs'. Marina City is a complex of two 60-story towers built in 1964.
027-LAKE POINT TOWER-Lake Point Tower is one of Chicago's unique skyscrapers. Its distinct shape and location make it a remarkable landmark. Lake Point Tower was completed in 1968 and was at the time the highest apartment building in the world, reaching a height of 196m/645ft.The building has only 3 wings. This gives a 120 degree angle between the wings, so that the apartments would not face each other. The design also offered less surface area exposed to direct wind loads in comparison to the conventional rectangular designs.
028-333 WAKER DRIVE- The 36-story green glass building known simply by its address. The building is located at an awkward triangular site where the Chicago river makes a sharp turn. The building is 365 feet (111m) wide from one end of the curve to the other. It stands 487 feet (148 meters) tall.
029-860-880 LAKE SHORE DRIVE- One of the most innovative buildings in Chicago are the 860-880 lake shore drive apartments, two glass and steel towers at Chicago's gold coast. The 860-880 lake shore drive apartments were deemed Chicago landmarks in 1996.
030- WATER TOWER PLACE- The eight-level mall covers over 700,000 square feet and features more than 100 shops, including Macy’s and the flagship American Girl Place store. One of the first vertical malls in the world, water tower place is part of a 74-floor skyscraper of the same name that also includes a Ritz-Carlton Hotel and luxury condominiums. After riding the escalators up from the ground level, take the glass elevators the rest of the way to the 8th floor and work your way down.
031-UNION STATION- Chicago's Union Station was built in 1925 as one of the last grand American railway stations. At the time Chicago was a national railway hub, connecting the east and west coasts of the United States. Chicago Administration wanted the station to make an architectural impact, similar to New York's Grand Central Terminal and Washington's Union Station. Construction of the building started in 1913 and was finished 12 years later, in 1925. The west side building contains the large waiting room, known as the 'Great Hall'. The waiting room has a 112ft/34m high vaulted skylight with long benches and marble walls. Its combination of Bedford limestone Beaux-Arts facades, massive Corinthian columns, sparkling marble floors and magnificent Great Hall, all highlighted by brass lamps, creates an environment that captures the allure and imagination of passengers and visitors that access its premises. The station is located on the west side of the Chicago River between West Adams Street and West Jackson Boulevard, just outside the Chicago Loop. Chicago Union Station is the 3rd busiest rail terminal in the United States, handling approximately 120,000 passengers on an average weekday .The station has two sets of tracks, 10 leading northbound and fourteen southbound. It is estimated to be capable of handling more than 700 trains in a single day. Numerous entrances provide access to Union Station's underground platform level. The main entrance is on Canal Street opposite the headhouse. Union Station does not have any direct connection to local rapid transit service but numerous bus lines that stop directly at Union Station.
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032-BAHAI TEMPLE-One of only seven Baha'i temples in the world at present, this unique structure symbolizes unity and invites prayer to God. The quiet serenity of the Baha'i House of Worship reflects the spiritual truths of the Baha'i Faith, the oneness of God, the oneness of humanity and the oneness of religion. Like all Baha'i Houses of Worship, the temple in Wilmette has nine sides and is surrounded by exquisite gardens and fountains. The House of Worship is a domed structure surrounded by gardens and fountains on a 6.97 acre plot of land. The space between the floor of the auditorium and the ceiling of the dome measures 138 feet (42 m) high, and the interior of the dome is 72 feet (22 m) in diameter. The auditorium seats 1,191 people. Since nine is the last number in the decimal system, Bahá'ís believe it symbolizes perfection and completion. Nine is also the value of the word Bahá (Arabic for "glory") in Abjad numerology. Thus, many elements of the building occur in groups of nine. For example, there are nine entrances to the auditorium, nine interior alcoves, nine dome sections, and nine fountains in the garden area.
033- CHINA TOWN-During the 1870’s, there was a group of Chinese immigrants working in Chicago. The Chinese labourers started coming over to work on the completion of transcontinental railroad. They recruited over 80% of Chinese for labourers. The town is the introduction into Chinese culture and cuisine for people who wish to learn more about the Chinese. It is on the South Side (located in the Armour Square community area), cantered on Cermak and Wentworth Avenues. The land marks in the China Town are-China town Mural, Chinatown Square, Wentworth Avenue, Pui Tak Center, Chinese-American Museum.
CHICAGO SHOPPING AREAS & STREETS-
034-MAGNIFICENT MILE-It is the overall area a little like New York's Fifth Avenue and Beverly Hills's Rodeo Drive rolled into one. Michigan Avenue is home to several indoor, high-rise malls, where plenty more boutiques and restaurants are tucked away. It's worth a stroll because this stretch is, in many ways, the heart of the city. The ultimate Mag Mile shopping adventure, start at one end of North Michigan Avenue.
i-Michigan Avenue-Find here top brands like-Georg Jenson, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani, Hershey Chicago, Tiffany & Co, Neiman Marcus ,Burberry and so on. ii-Oak Street-The shopping district itself is actually quite limited, taking up only 1 block at the northern tip of the Magnificent Mile (where Michigan Ave. ends and Lake Shore Dr. begins). Oak Street features smaller, more personal shops (most of them high-priced). iii-State Street & the Loop-This is a half mile stretch and was the great shopping district of Chicago before WWI. Here Macy is located. A city landmark and one of the largest department stores in the world, it occupies an entire city block and features the largest Tiffany glass mosaic dome in the U.S. |
035-900 NORTH MICHIGAN SHOPS-The 900 North Michigan Shops is a destination for style and sophistication unparalleled anywhere else in the Midwest. This architecturally stunning property features a six-level Bloomingdale's, 10 dining options and over 70 luxury retailers including Gucci, Michael Kors, Lululemon Athletica, J. Crew, Williams-Sonoma, Coach, L. K. Bennett and many.
036-THE SHOPS AT NORTH BRIDGE- The Shops at North Bridge is Chicago's most stylish shopping and dining destination. Featuring a four-level shopping centre anchored by a flagship Nordstrom and more than 50 world-class retailers including Hugo Boss, Stuart Weitzman, Louis Vuitton, The Art of Shaving, Kiehl's, Armani Exchange, White House I Black Market, Wolford, Spa Nordstrom, Charming Charlie and Sephora, this is a must-see on your trip to The Magnificent Mile. With 20 sumptuous restaurants conveniently located on the premises, a casual lunch or a vibrant dinner is just steps away from the city's style centre.
037-WATER TOWER PLACE-At the Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, Water Tower Place is Chicago's premier shopping destination. Its stunning eight-level atrium features Macy's, American Girl Place and the new Broadway. In Chicago's Broadway Playhouse, plus more than 100 of favourite stores including Adidas Sport Performance Store, Betsey Johnson, Abercrombie & Fitch, Forever 21, Banana Republic, Aeropostale and many more. In addition, unique dining experiences include Mity Nice Grill, Freshii, Wow Bao and foodlife.