Chicago is the largest city in the midwest of the United States, and the third largest in the country. Chicago has a large, diverse population and a long history. So it’s no surprise that the city boasts a wide variety of different types of architecture, which you can see along the Chicago skyline.
With over 100 years of architectural styles to enjoy, Chicago is definitely the city to visit for those who are looking to explore iconic buildings from all time periods. Whether you are interested in seeing some of the world’s tallest buildings, or the oldest, this list will cover everything there is to know about the most iconic buildings in the Chicago skyline.
- Willis Tower
Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, is the third tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and 26th tallest in the world. From 1973 to 1998 however, it was the tallest building in the entire world. The skyscraper is 110 stories tall, and stands at 1,450 feet. There is a skydeck at 1,353 feet. And let me tell you from personal experience, it is worth checking out. On a clear day, you can see up to 50 miles away and view four states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Willis Tower was designed by architect Bruce Graham and engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan, both part of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Construction began in 1970, and the tower was opened in 1973.
- Citigroup Center
The Citigroup Center is a modest 588 feet compared to the Willis Tower. But the building is still an impressive sight to behold. And it is a fantastic example of a late modernist style skyscraper.
The building, designed by the architecture company Murphy/Jahn, was constructed between 1984 and 1987. This tower is the main headquarters for the Citigroup investment banking company. To learn more about the Chicago Office for CITI, check out this individual profiled here.
- Home Insurance Building
The Home Insurance Building was actually the first skyscraper ever to be constructed, and it was built in Chicago!
The building, constructed in 1885, became known as the world’s first modern skyscraper. Unfortunately, the Home Insurance Building was demolished in 1931 to and replaced with another skyscraper, the Field Building (now called the LaSalle Bank Building.
Despite the building being demolished, you can still visit the site where it stood and learn a lot about the history of the building. It truly set the bar for skyscrapers to come, and no doubt impacted the way our city skylines look today.
- The St. Regis Chicago
Standing at a towering 1,198 feet, The St. Regis Chicago is Chicago’s third-tallest building. It is the world’s tallest building that was designed by a woman — Jeanne Gang and her firm (Studio Gang Architects).
The building consists of three connected towers that differ in height to form a step-like structure. The building was constructed from 2016 to 2020, and has 101 floors.
You can book a stay in the St. Regis Chicago through Marriott.
We hope you found this article interesting, and that you now know a little bit more about the Chicago skyline!
