Aha! Pump it! Pump it real good! This is an actual pumping…read morestation! There's huge pipes up in here that transport lots of water up from Lake Michigan to all the thirsty Chicago people. This building is real old- it predates the great fire by two years. This is when they knew how to build things to last. This water tower pumping stationis kinda hollow inside, but full of water works infrastructure. There's a tour you can take. There's also an art gallery that's free and worth checking out, even if just for a few minutes.

This was awesome! You just walk in and find the pumping station operating behind glass enclosure…read more It takes you back in time for a quick minute. My dad was a union plumber in NYC, so of course I can appreciate this awesome structure available to the public. Visiting Chicago has been a great experience!!!

Spectacular architecture and stunningly maintained.... Very little known about it by the locals …read more I have lived in Chicago for 26 years and always wondered what this beautiful building was but finally went on not so busy Friday afternoon literally 30 mid before closing . Would love to bring the family back.

Stunning! A bit of history I didn't even realize we had here in Chicago. Free to visit (there's a…read moredonation box at the front) and the staff was very sweet. Someone was giving brief tours with more information, but you're able to walk around and explore on your own.

One of the coolest bridge in my opinion, the curvature and design stands out. The bridge also…read moreframes the Chicago board of Trade and Hubertus von der Goltz's Crossing. Named after the architect who designed it. Like many of the bridges, this one is a draw bridge, it's quite a site when they all go up giving a clear view of the river and flanked by the canyon wall like buildings on either side. More architect info in the pics. Great spot for river festivities like river dyeing on St. Pat's and fireworks.

The Marquette Building is a beautiful example of the Chicago School of architecture. The early…read moresteel framed sixteen story skyscraper was built in 1895. The steel frame is what allowed long "Chicago windows" due to less pressure of the masonry. It was designed by Holabird and Roche. The skyscraper was named for Father Jacques Marquette, the first European settler who explored Chicago in 1674-1675. Mosaics, sculptures and bronzes honor this expedition in the Marquette's entry and lobby. The bronzes and sculptures show the trip and important historic figures that were met along the journey. The railing around the atrium features beautiful Tiffany designed mosaics. Louis Comfort Tiffany was commissioned to create a mosaic frieze to detail the story of Marquette's life, the exploration of Chicago and the Native Americans that he met. Art panels are made of lustered Tiffany glass, mother-of-Pearl and semi-precious stones. It is stunning! The building is free and open to explore. Ask the security guard for a brochure or if you are lucky, he may even share some history about the building. There is also a small exhibit behind the lobby that discusses Chicago skyscrapers and architecture.

Chicago September 2019…read more Walked into the Marquette Building in downtown Chicago to view the beautiful artwork in the lobby. No admission fee. Just walk in and enjoy the view. The lobby is not too big but filled with stain glass art work that is eye catching. One can view the art from the first or second floor. Many Yelpers have already posted photos with great historical commentary. I'll just add a #metoo. No where to park around here unless you want to spend $30.00 ... I just jump on the CTA and pay $2.50 one way (or $5.00 round trip). Many of the buildings in downtown Chicago have fantastic art work in their lobbies. Most are free to explore. Welcome to Chicago !

I heard of the wooden alley many years ago and have driven by but never really stopped to look…read more The wooden alley is a remnant of a bygone era for sure. Located in Near North near the Cardinal's Residence, this alley runs west to east and is made entirely of wooden blocks. Wood blocks started being used for construction in this manner in the mid-19th century, which made lots of fuel for the Great Fire, of course. This style of paving obviously fell out of favor as new technology emerged. The neighborhood likes to cultivate an air of the 19th / early 20th century with gas lamps and this adds to the aura. This alley was constructed in 1909, restored over the years, and is one of only two remaining in the city of Chicago. It's been on the National Register of Historic Places for 20 years. If you're in the area you can stop here to see something unusual and quirky for this day and age.

This is probably something thousands of people pass by every day and have no idea something like…read morethis is here. We found this on Atlas Obscura and followed directions from there. It is just south of Lincoln Park. Stepping onto the wood itself, it feels much softer than the asphalt of your typical street or the material your standard sidewalk is made out of. There is a historical marker near State Parkway detailing the history behind the wooden alley.

Wrigley Square is a must every time I visited Chicago. I have visited in all four seasons of the…read moreyear. The square is definitely nicest for me in spring and fall. Description: Wrigley Square is a public square located in the northwest section of Millennium Park in the Historic Michigan Boulevard District of the Loop area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The square is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of East Randolph Street and North Michigan Avenue. It contains the Millennium Monument, a nearly full-sized replica of the semicircle of paired Roman Doric-style columns (called a peristyle) that originally sat in this area of Grant Park, near Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street, between 1917 and 1953. The square also contains a large lawn and a public fountain. You Definitely must visit!

Blink and you might miss Wrigley Square as you're rushing over to Millennium Park to take instagram…read morepictures of that bean (much like myself). Right on the corner of Michigan Ave and Randolph St. sits another fountain in the city of Chicago along with a mid size grass field with bench's onsite on the outside of said grass. It's a cool spot right at the beginning of the park where you can sit back relax, and admire the fountains or the city skyline.

It was closed. I came here and it was closed. I was gaslit into thinking this was a fully…read morefunctional fountain but turns out - it was not. :( Please make it 24/7 pls thx

The Centennial fountain and water arc was a fantastic experience to catch during the Chicago River…read morewalk. The arc goes on top of every hour for 5 to 10 minutes. Its a beauty that is long that shoots water from onside across river to the other. It is also crazy enough to notice the kayakers get excited to soak in the water arc. Dont miss this jem while visiting Chicago. Watching the arc and fountain in the backdrop of Chicago architecture and river is totally worth it.

This is a small pocket plaza located in the heart of downtown Chicago, sandwiched between the…read moreWrigley and Realtor buildings. It was dedicated in 1963 by the then Mexican Consulate General, in honor of the member countries of the Organization of American States. It is a small plaza that is very picturesque, especially at night at is home to a few sculptures. In the Spring and Summer, the plaza is adorned with beautiful flowers and folliage. It is well maintained. Obviously, they cant have the plants in the harsh Chicago winters though. You will find the Wings of Mexico here. It is a temporary exhibit that consist of a pair of gold wings that visitor can pose in front of and take pictures. There is also a life-sized sculpture of Mexico's first president of indigenous origin (26th overall), Benito Juarez in the plaza. I did not see any seating in the plaza, so I guess they do not want it to be a spot to hang out and loiter, but to just enjoy. There are flags around the plaza's perimeter, representative of the each respective country that is part of the Organization of American States. Parking to get here is very difficult, as is most parking in the Windy City. I like this place and what it represents, but this plaza is not a destination spot and most of its visitors will be passerbys such as myself. I would say, I spent about 20 minutes here and moved on.

This place was nice to just sit, relax, enjoy the view, and take a quick break from walking around…read morethe city.