Wrigley Square and Millennium Monument, Chicago

Tucked into the northwest corner of Millennium Park鈥攔ight where Michigan Avenue gives Randolph Street a firm handshake鈥攜ou鈥檒l find Wrigley Square: a leafy, sun-soaked pocket of Chicago where art, architecture, and the occasional jazz riff come out to play. Think of it as the city鈥檚 elegant front porch: perfect for lounging on the lawn, snapping photos by the fountain, or casually pretending you stumbled into a cultural event like an art show or open-air photo exhibit. Sometimes, there's live music too.

At the heart of the square stands the Millennium Monument, showing off like it鈥檚 been there since ancient Athens. In reality, it's a near-full-scale replica of the original peristyle that graced this spot from 1917 to 1953鈥攂efore it was dismantled to make room for a parking lot. Fortunately, eventually, artistic taste prevailed, and the peristyle returned, complete with its proud arc of 40-foot Doric columns made of limestone, thus giving serious gravitas to an already photogenic corner of town.

Look down at the base and you鈥檒l see the stone-etched names of 122 donors鈥攂oth individuals and companies鈥攚ho made Millennium Park happen. In other words, the folks who helped turn downtown from drab to dazzling. In 2017, this classical beauty got a glow-up: LED lights that change color, sleek new paving stones, and polished concrete accents that make the whole fountain plaza sparkle like it just got back from a spa retreat.

So, next time you鈥檙e in the Loop, swing by Wrigley Square. It鈥檚 got shade, it鈥檚 got charm, and it doesn鈥檛 charge admission鈥攗nless you count the cost of falling a little bit more in love with Chicago...

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 Square and Millennium Monument
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.

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

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

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

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

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

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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