Chicago City Hall & County Building, Chicago

This structure essentially functions as an office building鈥攐r more precisely, two office buildings designed around light wells, one of which has its office spaces interrupted for two stories to accommodate the City Council. The primary objective was to construct an eleven-story structure that wouldn't give the impression of a typical skyscraper. This feat was achieved by doubling the size of the exterior fa莽ade, reducing the number of windows, and introducing Chicago's largest columns at the time鈥攊mposing seventy-five-foot-high, hollow columns composed of fifteen curved granite segments. The Corinthian capitals alone equal the height of an entire floor! The support for these purely ornamental elements necessitated the use of ten-foot-diameter caissons.

Designed in the Classical Revival style, the building received its official dedication in 1911. The entrance to the Chicago City Hall showcases four relief panels sculpted in granite, each representing one of the four main concerns of city government: playgrounds, schools, parks, and water supply. Upon entering the premises, visitors are welcomed by intricate marble stairways and bronze tablets that pay tribute to the historical city halls of Chicago, spanning from 1837 to the present day.

In 2006, a green roof was installed on the City Hall section of the building, serving as an experiment to study the impact of green roofs on urban heat islands, rainwater runoff, and the suitability of various green roofs and plant species for Chicago's climate. It also facilitated energy consumption comparisons with the conventionally roofed County Building.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Chicago City Hall & County Building
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Loop District Architecture Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Chicago, Illinois

Create Your Own Walk in Chicago

Creating your own self-guided walk in Chicago is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles

Loop District Architecture Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles

Millennium and Grant Parks Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

Chicago Navy Pier Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles

Chicago Introduction Walking Tour

Chicago, perched on the shores of Lake Michigan in Illinois, is a city steeped in history and urban vibrancy. Known by numerous nicknames such as the Windy City and the City of Big Shoulders, it boasts a skyline marked by towering structures. The area of today's Chicago, initially inhabited by Native American tribes, saw its first European-settled reference as "Chicagou" in 1679, a... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles

Chicago Chinatown Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

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