Chicago Theatre, Chicago

Chicago Theatre, Chicago (must see)

You can鈥檛 miss it鈥攍iterally鈥攖hat unmistakable marquee and the vertical towering 鈥淐HICAGO鈥� sign blazing in red and gold above State Street! That鈥檚 the Chicago Theatre to you, showing off like it鈥檚 the city's prom queen鈥攁nd honestly, with a face like that, who can blame it? Modeled after Paris鈥檚 Triumphal Arch, its fa莽ade has been photobombing tourists since 1921. Nicknamed the 鈥淲onder Theatre of the World,鈥� it rose from the ashes鈥攚ell, sort of鈥攔ight after the Great Fire, borrowing both the flair and the structural quirks of earlier architecture. Case in point: its rare cast-iron fa莽ade, one of the last survivors in the Loop, which, while stylish, has a not-so-charming tendency to melt like a grilled cheese when exposed to a blaze.

But the real scene-stealer is inside. Imagine Versailles by way of the Midwest. You鈥檝e got grand staircases inspired by the Paris Opera House, crystal chandeliers that could outshine the sun, and a lobby that screams royal chapel chic. The 3,800-seat auditorium isn鈥檛 just massive鈥攊t鈥檚 expertly designed, so nobody gets stuck behind a pole, or worse, someone with a feathered hat...

Back in the day, the theatre dazzled audiences with silent films, live orchestras, and its mighty Wurlitzer organ鈥攁n absolute unit of an instrument. These days, it鈥檚 still flexing, hosting everything from musicals and concerts to stand-up legends. And if you're feeling nosy (or nostalgic), you can join a tour, where you will stand on the same stage graced by Sousa, Ellington, Ellen, and Queen Bey herself. Don鈥檛 skip the backstage walls either鈥攁utographs, inside jokes, and a century鈥檚 worth of showbiz spirit still echo in Sharpie ink.

So, yes, come for the photo op鈥攂ut stay for the jaw-dropping grandeur, ghost stories of velvet curtains past, and maybe even a Beyonc茅 echo if the acoustics are just right...

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.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Chicago Theatre
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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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

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Start your Old Town walking... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles

The Magnificent Mile Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 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 Chinatown Walking Tour

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

View all walking tours in Chicago, Illinois

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