Auditorium Building, Chicago
If buildings could take a bow, Chicago鈥檚 Auditorium Building would still be taking curtain calls. A crown jewel of the Chicago School architectural style, it鈥檚 most famous for its jaw-dropping, 4,000-seat theatre鈥攕o acoustically perfect and visually flawless that the legendary Modernist maestro Frank Lloyd Wright, never one for casual compliments, called it 鈥渢he greatest room for music and opera in the world.鈥�
Constructed in 1889 by the architectural dream team of Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, the building launched them into the architectural stratosphere. Adler brought the theatre savvy, Sullivan brought the flair, and together they built a masterpiece that would make modernist hearts flutter for decades.
The plan was to create a home for Chicago鈥檚 cultural elite鈥攐pera, symphony, high society, and all that jazz鈥攚hile sneaking in a 400-room hotel, office space, and retail to pay the bills. Grand idea! Sadly, within ten years, the glam had faded, and the building went from high notes straight into disrepair, with its lowest point marked by a transformation into a recreational center for soldiers who ingeniously repurposed the stage as a makeshift bowling alley.
Luckily, in 1946, Roosevelt University stepped in to rescue the ailing beauty. By the 1960s, restoration efforts hit their stride, and in 1989, the theater celebrated its 100th anniversary with a musical bang鈥擫es Mis茅rables show. Then came a 2001 revamp, complete with forensic paint matching, delicate stencil work, and a lovingly revived mural. In 2002, the original stage (bless its battered soul) was replaced just in time for the sold-out run by the Bolshoi Ballet, which garnered critical acclaim.
So, even if your schedule is tighter than a soprano鈥檚 corset, try and squeeze in a tour of this historic gem鈥攜ou鈥檒l walk through history, acoustics, and just a little architectural drama.
Constructed in 1889 by the architectural dream team of Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, the building launched them into the architectural stratosphere. Adler brought the theatre savvy, Sullivan brought the flair, and together they built a masterpiece that would make modernist hearts flutter for decades.
The plan was to create a home for Chicago鈥檚 cultural elite鈥攐pera, symphony, high society, and all that jazz鈥攚hile sneaking in a 400-room hotel, office space, and retail to pay the bills. Grand idea! Sadly, within ten years, the glam had faded, and the building went from high notes straight into disrepair, with its lowest point marked by a transformation into a recreational center for soldiers who ingeniously repurposed the stage as a makeshift bowling alley.
Luckily, in 1946, Roosevelt University stepped in to rescue the ailing beauty. By the 1960s, restoration efforts hit their stride, and in 1989, the theater celebrated its 100th anniversary with a musical bang鈥擫es Mis茅rables show. Then came a 2001 revamp, complete with forensic paint matching, delicate stencil work, and a lovingly revived mural. In 2002, the original stage (bless its battered soul) was replaced just in time for the sold-out run by the Bolshoi Ballet, which garnered critical acclaim.
So, even if your schedule is tighter than a soprano鈥檚 corset, try and squeeze in a tour of this historic gem鈥攜ou鈥檒l walk through history, acoustics, and just a little architectural drama.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Chicago. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 911爆料网 App
Auditorium Building on Map
Sight Name: Auditorium Building
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Chicago, USA (See walking tours in Chicago)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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.
The Magnificent Mile Walking Tour
The stretch of Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Lake Shore Drive, otherwise known as the Magnificent Mile, is regarded as one of the world鈥檚 great avenues 鈥� or Chicago鈥檚 version of Fifth Avenue. Take this self-guided walk to explore its whole stretch and surrounding area, featuring a wide selection of amazing stores/malls, world-known museums, restaurants and spectacular... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Loop District Architecture Walking Tour
The Chicago Loop District鈥攅ssentially the city鈥檚 historic downtown鈥攈as long been a stage for architectural innovation and an open-air museum of American architecture.
The construction boom started after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed much of the central business district, gave architects a blank canvas to rebuild the city from the ground up. What followed was a surge of... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles
The construction boom started after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed much of the central business district, gave architects a blank canvas to rebuild the city from the ground up. What followed was a surge of... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.7 Km or 2.9 Miles
Millennium and Grant Parks Walking Tour
If Chicago had a living room, it would be Grant Park 鈥� and if it had a shiny new media room, that would definitely be Millennium Park. These two sprawling green spaces hug the lakeshore like the city鈥檚 favorite blanket, offering locals and tourists alike a perfect blend of nature, art, and architecture with a side of skyline.
Let鈥檚 start with the elder of the two 鈥� Grant Park,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Let鈥檚 start with the elder of the two 鈥� Grant Park,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Chicago Old Town Walking Tour
Settled in 1850 by German immigrants, Chicago鈥檚 Old Town neighborhood is a popular destination for locals and visitors who cater to the entertainment venues, restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and boutiques 鈥� all of which have turned an area once referred to as the 鈥淐abbage Patch鈥� into an attraction that rivals Navy Pier, Wrigley Field and the Magnificent Mile.
Start your Old Town walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Start your Old Town walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Chicago Chinatown Walking Tour
Tucked away just south of the Loop, the Chinatown of Chicago was established in 1912 and is considered one of the best examples of American Chinatown. While it may be one of Chicago鈥檚 smallest neighborhoods geographically, it is big on character, colors, sights, sounds, and flavors. Here, you鈥檒l find a wide range of unique boutiques, specialty shops, religious sights, authentic Chinese... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Chicago Navy Pier Walking Tour
Additional to scenic views of the lake, the boats, and the city skyline, the Navy Pier offers a variety of attractions on the waterfront 鈥� for kids as well as adults 鈥� that draw nearly ten million people annually, making this Chicago's most visited spot. Yes, some may see it as a 鈥渢ourist trap鈥�, but it is worth the time and money to spend some time here, so take this self-guided walk... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Chicago Souvenirs: 15 Distinct Local Products to Bring Home
One of the most fascinating cities in the U.S., if not the whole world, Chicago has no shortage of things closely associated with it, often due to their direct origin (blues, gangstership, etc.), so one might literally be spoiled for choice as to what to choose as a "piece" of Chicago to...