Chicago Historic Loop Architectural Walking Tour

On this tour your guide will take you on a walk around Chicago’s historic Loop District where you will get to see some of the oldest skyscrapers in the world and we'll take you inside some of the city’s most influential and iconic buildings.Your guide will share the history of Chicago and explain the multiple architectural influences that helped shape the city's incredible skyline!
Schedule:

10:00 AM
Meet your guide at The Fine Arts Building

10:15 AM
Visit the Marquette Building

10:30 AM
Visit The Rookery

11:00 AM
Visit The Palmer House

11:15 AM
Visit The Sullivan Center

11:30 AM
Lunch time!

12:00 PM
Visit The Chicago Athletic Association hotel

12:15 PM
Visit The Chicago Cultural Center

12:30 PM
Visit the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower

1:00 PM
End tour around the Wrigley Building

Meeting Point

Fine Arts Building

410 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605, USA

What's included:

• English speaking guide

Not included:

• Tips for guides

What to expect:

Duration: 3 hours

Marquette Building

140 S Dearborn St, , Chicago, 60603-5202, Illinois

The Marquette Building was one of the most profitable skyscrapers built in Chicago during the 19th-century building boom. This historic landmark stands as an ideal example of a speculative commercial office building. It was created as a collection of first class office spaces whose primary purpose was to fatten the pockets of real estate investors taking a gamble on an up-and-coming urban center.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

The Rookery Building

209 S La Salle St, , Chicago, 60604-1219, Illinois

When completed, the Rookery was thought to be the largest and finest office building in the United States.
Located at the corner of LaSalle and Adams, the Rookery is one of Chicago’s most elegant buildings and a star of the LaSalle Street financial corridor.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Palmer House Hilton Historic Lobby

17 E Monroe St, Chicago, 60603-5608, Illinois

The Palmer House, is a historic Hilton Hotel and the longest continuously operating hotel in North America, located in Chicago's Loop district!
It was the city's first hotel with elevators, and the first hotel with electric light bulbs and telephones in the guest rooms.

10 minutes

Sullivan Center

1 S State St, , Chicago, 60603-2802, Illinois

The Sullivan Center better known as the former home of the Carson Pirie Scott store, is one of the most representative works of the famous Chicago School and one of the most important in the history of tall buildings. Built between 1899-1903, it has been used for retail trade throughout its life and was declared a milestone of Chicago in 1975.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Chicago Athletic Association - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

12 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, USA

The Chicago Athletic Association hotel is located in Chicago's loop district. It occupies an 11-story Venetian Gothic building designed by architect Henry Ives Cobb and completed in 1893. From its construction all the way until 2007, it functioned as a private club for wealthy Chicagoans. This rich and exclusive history is preserved in the hotel’s modern refurbishment, as the renovators preserved the majority of the structure’s bells and whistles. This means the interior space today remains dominated by an assortment of ornate paneling, elaborate molding, and beautiful trims. Intricate details are everywhere here, yet the space still manages to feel fresh and modern.
Nestled directly across the street from Millennium Park, the boutique hotel is housed within a Venetian Gothic building that sports modern amenities infused with grand historic details, lauded restaurants, ballrooms with jaw-dropping Lake Michigan views, and cozy pubs where libations and conversation flow freely.

30 minutes

Chicago Cultural Center

78 E Washington St, , Chicago, 60602-4801, Illinois

The Chicago Cultural Center is one of the city’s most popular attractions and the cultural heart of the downtown Loop neighborhood. Taking up an entire city block, the stunning landmark building is home to the world’s largest Tiffany stained glass dome and presents more than 700 humanities programs a year — and many of them are free and open to the public.
Spend hours admiring the architectural splendor of this Chicago gem or just stop in for a quick dose of culture

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Tribune Tower

435 N Michigan Ave, , Chicago, 60611-4066, Illinois

One of Chicago’s most iconic buildings is the Tribune Tower. Despite rising only 36 stories, the tower has helped set Chicago apart as a living architectural museum. Its soaring Gothic spires and shrine-like lobby, complete with inspirational quotes, are by now iconic identifiers of the city and make it a thoroughly Chicago building.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Wrigley Building

400-410 Michigan Ave, , Chicago, 60611-4213, Illinois

The Wrigley Building is one of downtown Chicago’s most recognized architectural icons, dating to the 1920s.Even though the building was ornamented with French Renaissance elements, the most prominent feature of the structure is the clock tower. This reaches a height of 130 meters (425 feet) which effectively makes it a magnificent skyscraper as well.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included