Specialities of Chicago

The world’s first skyscraper was constructed in Chicago in 1885, spawning the Chicago School of architecture.

Among the renowned architects whose buildings have shaped the city’s skyline are Louis Sullivan, William Le Baron Jenney, Daniel H. Burnham, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Helmut Jahn.

( Sears Tower )
In the central part of the city are several of the tallest buildings in the world, including the Sears Tower, 110 stories high. Many of these buildings, including the Sears Tower, have observation decks that are open to the public.

In August 1995 the new Navy Pier Center opened in Chicago. Built on a pier constructed during World War I (1914-1918), the new center includes a 15,800-sq-m (170,000–sq-ft) exposition center, an ice-skating rink, a 3,000-sq-m (32,000-sq-ft) botanical garden, and a Ferris wheel that is 46 m (150 ft) tall.

( Millenium Park )

Millennium Park in downtown Chicago features gardens, outdoor sculptures, and a concert pavilion designed by the architect Frank Gehry. It opened in 2004 and replaced an area of parking lots and abandoned railroad tracks.