At a table near the circular desk of Chicago Cultural Center, 77-year-old Larry Ambrose waits for those tourists who want to know the vibrant Midwest American city’s history as a trading centre and evolution as a multicultural hub, from a local.
A Chicagoan since 1961, Larry talks passionately about a city that was rebuilt after a great fire in 1871 and that was once divided with Lines of Control (LoCs) between rival warring groups of people from various ethnicity (Mexican, Polish, Irish Italians) engaged in a turf war.
Larry is your friendly, knowledgeable local guide, a raconteur who is a Chicago “greeter” or a person who voluntarily accompanies you on a free tour of Chicago enthusiastically sharing many stories behind the iconic buildings that constitute modern Chicago, including their architectural antecedents.
Rising from the Ashes
“Chicago was one of muddy streets and wooden sidewalks [it was build on swamp] in the first half of the 19th century and some of these buildings you see were jacked up 22 feet after the fire,” says Larry, adding that the rebuilding of modern Chicago started after the great fire.
The blaze that broke out mysteriously on Oct 8, 1871, in a barn belonging to the O’Leary family on the southwest side of Chicago, had raged for over 24 hours, sweeping through the heart of the city, claiming no less than 300 lives. Almost a third of the city’s population were overnight homeless.
But the city rose like the proverbial Phoenix from the ashes and the “Great Rebuilding” that followed created a new urban centre, rich in its architectural diversity and emerging as the most populated city in the American Midwest. 
Of Tiffany Dome and Art Deco Marvels
As you begin an architectural walk from the Cultural Center your first attraction is the upper floors of this very building, which is a library- the first public library of Chicago- turned an arts hub. This building library had about 8,000 books gifted after the great fire by English donors. Since 1991, it is known as the Chicago Cultural Center.
It is here that you are left spellbound by the building’s treasure trove of regal marble, evocative mosaics and the spectacular stained glass domes, including the world’s largest Tiffany dome.
The Chicago Cultural Center is one of grand spaces and you must not also miss the Grand Army of the Republic Hall with its intricate Renaissance patterns, though the glass is dark with age. Here at the center’s Preston Bradley Hall’s you see the Tiffany dome, the world’s largest, basking in its opalescent colours from a new restoration.
Stepping outside the Center, as you walk down the streets, you are overwhelmed by several magnificent buildings. One of them is the 45-story skyscraper Chicago Board of Trade Building, constructed during the peak of Art Deco by John A. Holabird and John Wellborn Root Jr., themselves second-generation architectural royalty.
Presiding over Chicago’s financial district it is indeed an epitome of Art Deco styling. Chicago, which till now boasts of being the home to the tallest building of North America – Willis Tower – has a jagged skyline that rivals New York though on the streets you see much less crowd jostling for public space, unlike New York.
Boasting architecture that is mind-boggling and perhaps the best among the US cities. Chicago indeed is the City of Big Shoulders as mentioned in the poem of Carl Sandburg.
The city is famous for its Operas
With its waterways, movable bascule bridges, elevated metro rail track and the tall towers, no wonder Chicago is one of the most cinematic with even India’s Bollywood shooting its high-adrenalin buddy-cop-action film like Dhoom 3 in the city’s backdrop.
Once in Chicago you will understand why the makers of Dhoom 3 chose Chicago to film the action thriller. But before you are lost in the modern buildings like Willis Tower, check out some other iconic buildings with a walk tour with a greeter like Larry.
Rhapsody in Terra-cotta
Terra-cotta clay had emerged as an effective building material and Chicago had lapped it up. So by the mid-1880s, terra cotta tiling made Chicago one of the most fireproof cities in the nation. The trend continued till 1930s. The renovation of Palmer House, a luxury hotel on Monroe Street now, is an example of how reconstruction efforts used terra cotta.
Terra cotta tiles became roofing materials for the new Palmer House. The building itself was made of iron and brick. Palmer House, which is now part of the Hilton hotel chain, advertised itself as “The World’s Only Fire Proof Hotel.”
And not to be missed are buildings like Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue, the Reliance Building on State Street. Even after 100 years, they continue to remain eye candy for tourists.
According to Chicago Architecture Foundation, an edifice like the Reliance Building with glazed terra cotta cladding was thought to be the perfect solution to prevent grime from gathering on its surface and it was then called a self-cleaning building.
It was believed to never need cleaning because its smooth surface would allow any dirt to wash away in the rain. Though that belief ultimately turned out to be unfounded, it inspired the Reliance Building’s most distinct feature, its shining facade of glass and white terra cotta.
The Art Institute of Chicago
In Chicago, do not miss the Art Institute of Chicago where you can see both masterpieces of the ancient time to modern day creations. Two majestic bronze lions greet you at the door of the Art Institute of Chicago in the heart of Chicago’s Loop.
In addition to the third largest collection of art in the country and new ground-breaking exhibits each year, here you’ll find yourself steeped in art history and education with an event calendar filled with hundreds of insightful gallery talks, films, lectures and performances. It is here that Swami Vivekananda gave his epic speech on Hinduism in 1893 when he spoke at the World’s Parliament of Religion.
The Skyline Cruise
And whether you are an architecture connoisseur or sold on Dhoom 3 hype, Chicago’s jaw-dropping experience is surely to take the Chicago Architecture Cruise in which you travel all three branches of the Chicago River, starting down the main branch then traveling the North branch up to Chicago Ave. and down the South Branch to Polk Street.
In the cruise you see some 50 skyscrapers, bascule bridges, and historic sites. This river cruise is not to be missed if you want to know about the story behind each building and you know yes, you are in the birthplace of skyscrapers.
Named one of the top 10 tours in the United States by TripAdvisor reviewers, Chicago’s First Lady Cruises and the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) offer locals and visitors breath-taking views of Chicago’s riverfront architecture with a cruise commentary.
View from Willis Tower
The 90-minute tour is brought to life by CAF-certified volunteer docents who share their passion for and knowledge of more than 50 significant buildings along the cruise route. CAF-certified volunteer docents undergo a minimum of 100-hours of rigorous training on the city’s architecture and history before leading the cruise commentary.
So, you learn a bit of history behind all of them, such as the Tribune Tower, Wrigley Building, Marina City, Merchandise Mart, Civic Opera House, Aqua Tower and new buildings such as 150 N. Riverside tower completed only in 2016.
Now if you love heights and want a bird’s eye view of Chicago and the vastness of Lake Michigan, do not miss climbing to the top of bustling community of business, tourism and culture that is Willis Tower, which is much more than North America’s tallest building.
Tens of thousands of visitors enjoy the sweeping view of the city from its top Skydeck. Once you reach the top, you can step out onto The Ledge, a collection of glass boxes that extend over 4 feet out from the side of the building, giving you the opportunity to stare over 1,300 feet straight down.
Besides architecture, one experience not to be missed in Chicago is a visit to Shedd Aquarium. Shedd Aquarium combines the best of early 20th-century “age of aquariums” characteristics — a diverse, global animal collection surrounded by eye-popping architecture — with 21st-century advances in animal care, environments and interpretation.
In this city, famous for its musical and cultural scene, your perfect day can end with an evening ticket of the famous Lyric Opera of Chicago, one of the leading opera companies in the United States founded in 1954. The Lyric is housed in another iconic edifice, the Civic Opera Building, which the company now owns.
