Tribune Tower, Chicago

Not far from where the Chicago River takes a polite little turn near Michigan Avenue, stands the Tribune Tower鈥攍ooking less like an office building and more like a Gothic cathedral that decided to moonlight in journalism. Complete with its flying buttresses and intricate stone scrollwork, this towering marvel was finished in 1925 to house the Chicago Tribune newspaper, thanks to the generous鈥攁nd let鈥檚 say flamboyant鈥攂acking of its editor-publisher Robert "The Colonel" McCormick. Together with his charmingly disheveled partner, Joseph Patterson, the Colonel kicked off a global design contest in 1922 to mark the paper鈥檚 75th birthday. The challenge was to create the most beautiful office building in the world. No pressure, indeed...

The winning plan came from the American duo, John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, who rebelled against the angular, mass-produced industrial decoration monotony by embracing Britain鈥檚 Arts and Crafts movement. The result was a fa莽ade crawling with sculpted flora, fauna, and cameos from Aesop鈥檚 fables鈥攜es, that same ancient Greek guy with the talking animals. While here, don't miss the entryway stonework, where wise owls and mischievous foxes still whisper stories to the curious.

Step into the lobby and you鈥檙e greeted by patriotic marble poetry鈥攓uotations about the freedom of the press etched into nearly every surface. And then there鈥檚 the pi猫ce de r茅sistance: a massive relief map of North America made of plaster and shredded U.S. dollars. Fun fact: it used to include parts of South America too鈥� until The Colonel decided to literally cut the competition.

Though the Tribune packed up its typewriters in 2018 and the place now hosts luxury condos, the building鈥檚 grandeur hasn鈥檛 skipped a beat. The outer walls still proudly display their global passport, featuring embedded stones from architectural icons like the Parthenon, the Taj Mahal, Westminster Abbey, and even the Great Wall of China. A newspaper鈥檚 vanity project? Maybe. A stunning piece of living history? Absolutely.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Chicago. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: 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 黑料吃瓜网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Tribune Tower
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

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

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

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

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

University of Chicago Walking Tour

Founded in 1890, the University of Chicago is among the world鈥檚 most prestigious educational institutions. As of 2020, the University鈥檚 students, faculty and staff have included 100 Nobel laureates, giving it the fourth-most affiliated Nobel laureates of any university.

Set in the heart of Chicago鈥檚 famous eclectic neighborhood, Hyde Park, the campus is worth a visit as it offers a... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles

View all walking tours in Chicago, Illinois

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...