Wrigley Building, Chicago

Just a hop, skip, and a coffee spill away from the Tribune Tower, you'll find the Wrigley Building鈥擟hicago鈥檚 porcelain crown jewel, proudly gleaming like it just got polished for a big date. Locals love it, tourists photograph it endlessly, and the river? It just reflects it lovingly from both sides, east and west, like a doting parent.

But this beauty isn鈥檛 just showing off鈥攊t鈥檚 got history in its bones, encapsulating the essence of Chicago's architectural history up to the 1920s. Designed by the talented young architect Charles Gerhard Beersman, the structure's tripartite division draws inspiration from European traditions, a common practice among Chicago's commercial architects since the city's rebirth following the 1871 fire. Beersman was inspired by the dazzling effects of the 1893 White City designs in Chicago, leading him to embellish the building with sparkling terra-cotta cladding, using six shades of tile that start creamy at the base and ascend to a cool blue-white glow at the top. It鈥檚 like the building鈥檚 own version of a sunrise...

And at night, it doesn't go to bed either鈥攇etting lit up by a dramatic floodlight show, turning into a glowing lighthouse for downtown romantics and architecture nerds alike.

Just next door, at 401 North Wabash Avenue, is the younger, shinier neighbor: the mirrored oval Trump International Hotel & Tower. It shot up in 2008, soaring 92 stories high, briefly snagging the title of America鈥檚 second-tallest building. Originally, Donald Trump had ambitious plans to make it the world's tallest building, but these were scaled back in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. But it still stands tall, sleek, and self-assured, curving to match the river and subtly bowing to the Wrigley Building鈥檚 elegance. Inside, it houses a luxurious hotel, opulent condos, and a fine dining establishment.

Pro tip:
Pop into the Wrigley lobby during business hours and feast your eyes on some seriously impressive brasswork. It鈥檚 like stepping into a jewelry box鈥攐nly taller.

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.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

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

Walking Tours in Chicago, Illinois

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