Places to see in ( Chicago - USA ) Chicago Skyline
Places to see in ( Chicago - USA ) Chicago Skyline
Chicago's skyline is one of the world's tallest and easily ranks among its most magnificent. It boasts four of America's eight tallest buildings and, if you include its antenna, the massive Sears (Willis) Tower remains the fifth tallest skyscraper in the world. In the late 19th century, Chicago's downtown was an ideal location for architects of ambition; the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 had literally gutted the downtown area, creating a relentless drive to re-build and ample space in which to do it. Chicago's engineers solved the problem of the load-bearing wall, liberating structures from the limits of what a masonry foundation could support. Built in 1885, William LeBaron Janney's 10-story Home Insurance Building was the first to use a steel-frame skeleton to support its walls — at one-third of the weight of a structure using conventional means. Real estate prices and building heights soared in the years that followed, but the boom years of the 1920s financial bubble saw an unprecedented wave of skyscrapers that shattered previous records for size, including the still-extant Mather Tower, Tribune Tower, and later the Chicago Board of Trade.
The second wave, oddly enough, occurred during the 1960s and 70s, when urban centers across America were experiencing white flight and severe population decline. The answer of Chicago's first Mayor Daley was simple: build, and then build some more. As a result, while the residential population spread across a wide range of suburbs, commercial activity remained fixed at the center of the city. It was during this time when Chicago gained its most famous modern skyscrapers, including three of the tallest: the Sears Tower, the Aon Center, and the John Hancock Center. (It was also during this time — as occurred during the first wave — when a giant swathe of early skyscrapers were recklessly demolished.)
The third wave of supertall construction was in the 2000s. Driven by downtown Chicago's residential real estate boom (the hottest in the country prior to the late 2000s financial crisis), existing buildings were converted from offices to condominiums and hotels, and builders raced to erect what were to be some of the world's tallest buildings. Eventually, construction ground to a halt as virtually all sources of credit dried up.
Sears Tower (Willis Tower), 233 S Wacker Dr. 1451 ft. The Sears Tower, officially the Willis Tower, is the second tallest building in the U.S after One World Trade Center in New York City. The Trump Tower, 401 N Wabash Ave. 1362 ft. The Trump Hotel and luxury residential building is both the newest member of the Chicago skyline, completed at the beginning of 2009, and the tallest after the Sears Tower—indeed, it is the fourth tallest in the United States.
Aon Center, 200 E Randolph St. 1136 ft. Originally known as the Standard Oil Building, The Aon Center is America's seventh tallest building from base to roof, and 23rd tallest in the world. It was built by Standard Oil of Indiana in 1972 by architect Edward Stone. John Hancock Center, 875 N Michigan Ave. 1127 ft. The John Hancock Center is the eighth tallest skyscraper in the U.S.
AT&T Corporate Center, 227 West Monroe St. 1007 ft. Built by Adrian Smith in 1989, the granite-clad AT&T Corporate Center is one of the city's more distinctive skyscrapers for its massive size. Two Prudential Plaza, 180 N Stetson Ave. 995 ft. This tower was built and connected to the original Prudential One for the Prudential Financial Corporation in 1990.
311 S Wacker Dr. 961 ft. This is perhaps the tallest building in the world without an official name, although locals know exactly what to call it. 900 N Michigan. 871 ft. This skyscraper is a vertical shopping mall on the Magnificent Mile, anchored by Bloomingdales in the back and the Four Seasons Resort between the towers. Water Tower Place, 845 N Michigan Ave. 859 ft. This is the pioneer vertical mall on the Magnificent Mile and is home to the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Chase Tower, 21 S Clark St. 850 ft. Located at the exact epicenter of CTA's Loop transit system, this building is distinctive for its vertical curve.
( Chicago - USA ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Chicago . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Chicago - USA
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