Sketches from nature. Magnificent Mile Chicago Water Tower

The Magnificent Mile is one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, located on Michigan Avenue just north of the Chicago River. The Magnificent Mile is home to many shops, malls, restaurants, hotels and Chicago attractions. The street is surrounded by huge skyscrapers and remarkable buildings.

The areas around the Magnificent Mile are among the most expensive and prestigious in Chicago. The wide sidewalks are always crowded. Luxury shops, boutiques and restaurants cater primarily to the wealthy as well as tourists. All well-known brands are present on the Magnificent Mile.

The oldest building along the Magnificent Mile is the old Chicago Water Tower. The tower was built in 1869. The pumping station and the tower look a bit out of place among the many tall buildings. It is a highlight in the heart of downtown Chicago and a popular tourist attraction. The Water Tower is one of the few structures that survived Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The building symbolizes Chicago's resilience. They tried to demolish the water tower several times: in 1906, 1918 and 1948, but each time the defenders were able to defend the symbol of Chicago.

Interesting buildings located on the Magnificent Mile (year of construction, height in meters):

• Wrigley Building (1924)
• Tribune Tower (1925, 141 m)
• Water Tower Place (1975, 262 m)
• Olympia Center (1986, 221 m)
• Chicago Place (185 m)
• One Magnificent Mile (205 m)
• 900 North Michigan (1989, 265 m)
• John Hancock Center (1970, 344 m)
• Park Tower (2000, 257 m)
• Drake Hotel (1920)
• Allerton Hotel (1924, 110 m)
• Palmolive Building (1929, formerly Playboy Building)

Chicago- the third most populated city in the United States; the largest metropolitan area of ​​Illinois, stretching along the coast of Lake Michigan. Chicago is often referred to as the "Second City" or "Windy City": "Second City" refers to economic leadership. (after New York), and he received the nickname "city of winds" due to fluctuations in city government (and not because of strong winds, as many people think). The nickname, given by politicians, became so fixed that it became the second name of Chicago. This city is full of audacity and vanity, there is something mesmerizing about it... Chicago's powerful architecture hides Mexican, Polish, Vietnamese and other ethnic residential areas to roam around. It is a city of blues, jazz and rock clubs open every night.

Video: Chicago

Basic moments

Concepts such as the gang, electric color and, by all accounts, pizza were born here. Journalist Henry Menken called Chicago "the literary capital of the United States," and writers from Nelson Algren to Nobel laureate Saul Bellow maintained that reputation. The Second City Players comedy theater troupe provided actors such as Steve Martin, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, and spawned the evening musical comedy show Saturday Night Live on American television. (Saturday Night Live).

The nickname of Chicago as a "windy city" comes from the corsair habits of Chicago politicians. (buzz bills), and from exorbitant praise of his 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. And although a piercing wind blows here from the lake, this is not at all why the city received such a nickname.

A pleasant surprise for many who come here for the first time will be a strip of sandy seashore 24 km long and parkland along the lake in this purely commercial city. Unlike other cities on the Great Lakes, in Chicago, most of the land near the lake is reserved for parks and residential areas, there are no industrial enterprises here. Just a few blocks from the center comes expanse for lovers of sunbathing, swimming or fishing.

The city, which gave the whole world an example of the construction of skyscrapers, began to do this involuntarily. In 1871, a fire devastated mostly wooden Chicago, which was barely 30 years old, leaving 100,000 citizens homeless. I had to hastily rebuild, erecting fireproof houses with prudent use of the area available for building. The architects who developed techniques for building a building around a metal frame so that it could rise to its intended height, maintaining style and without losing sophistication, laid the foundation for the so-called Chicago school of architecture.

This included Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, and later Mies van der Rohe. In addition, Frank Lloyd Wright worked in Chicago, but he is best known for building residential buildings.

Chicago's population of about 2.7 million, according to the 2013 census, is by any measure a large city, but it is far inferior to New York, which makes the "second city" not only defensive, but also spurs action. The very local architectural tradition inevitably led to a desire to build something grander than the New York Spitz, and, finally, the Willis Tower became the tallest building in the world, until in 1996 it was surpassed by the twin towers of the Petronas oil company in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the finest orchestras in the world, and the Art Institute of Chicago is a world-famous museum. But the townspeople themselves, not striving for the sophistication of the inhabitants of Manhattan, are distinguished by a benevolent and ironic attitude to life, which makes them more accessible in communication.

It's hard to get rid of the old image of a gangster city, but you will not find a monument to Al Capone here, and the influence of the mafia here is the same as in other rich cities in America. The money bosses here are people from England, although the descendants of the Irish, Poles, Germans, Italians, Negroes and Jews set the tone for public life.

(Chicago Transit Authority, STA) has excellent bus service and taxis are not too troublesome, but for once we advise you to get around the city, except for the crowded center, to rent a car if you are going to stay here for more than a day. It's easy to navigate: the city center is called the Loop ("a loop") because of the elevated railroad track that surrounds the business district south of the Chicago River. Other urban areas are listed according to their location relative to the centre: North Side ("northern"), South Side ("southern") and West Side ("west").

Story

At the end of the 17th century, the Potawatomi Indians gave the area the name Chekagow. (Checagou) which means "wild onion". There used to be swamps in the vicinity. The turning point for the appearance of the city was the day of October 8, 1871, when (as the legend goes) Mrs. O'Leary's cow knocked over a kerosene lamp, which started the Great Chicago Fire. It burned the entire middle of the city and left 90,000 people homeless.

“Damn,” the city planners said. “Looks like we shouldn't have built everything out of wood. It's on fire." And rebuilt using steel, and created space for the implementation of bold ideas - they built new buildings, for example, the world's first skyscraper, which suddenly appeared in the sky in 1885.

The Al Capone gang ruled here in the 20s, corrupting the political power. The local government paid the price: 30 members of the council were imprisoned in 1970.

For the past half century, the biggest name in Chicago has been Daley: Richard Daly was the city's mayor from 1955 to 1976, and his son Richard M. Daley served as the city's chief from 1989 to 2011.

Sights of Chicago

The main attractions in Chicago can be found in or near the city center, although more outlying areas such as Pilsen and Hyde Park won't leave you disappointed either.

The streets of the city are arranged in a grid and numbered. madison street (Madison) and State Street (State St) at the Chicago Loop (loop) is the center when you walk north, south, east, or west from this location, each 800 increments in the street number corresponds to 1.61 km. For example. after Chicago Avenue (Chicago Ave (800N)) goes North Avenue (North Ave (1600 N)), then Fullerton Avenue (Fuilerton Ave (2400 N))- after reaching this point, you will be 1", 83 km north of the center.

michigan avenue

Instead of the bustling center, we advise you to start to form your idea of ​​the city from its most beautiful street, although businesslike, but more measured. Chicagoans refer to the tree-lined stretch of street north of the Loop and the river to Oak Street as the Magnificent Mile. (Magnificent Mile). The largest high fashion stores, jewelry stores, department stores, art galleries and bookshops are located there. The street acquired a unique character, so that when McDonald's, headquartered in Chicago, decided to open a branch here, local merchants insisted that the exterior design of the building fit into the surroundings.

Most notable is the huge, blued 100-story John Hancock Center with its striking braced frame appearance. Before us is a real vertical street, shot up 337.5 m. The first five floors are occupied by shops, then half a dozen floors are given over to a parking lot, and then there are office and residential premises, where a supermarket and a swimming pool are provided for residents. The observation deck on the 94th floor overlooks the Michigan coast of the lake, the Indiana steel mills behind the Loop, the Wisconsin-facing shores, and flat West Side residential areas.

Across the block east of North Michigan Avenue is the bustling Rush Street, filled with outdoor cafes, nightclubs, restaurants and taverns that comes alive at dusk. On Chicago Avenue and Michigan Avenue, there is an amazing water tower made of white limestone, which has become a historical landmark. It was erected in 1869 to house a pump that pumped water from the lake, and was the only public building that survived the fire. Today there is a park around it.

Water tower area (Water Tower Place; 845 North Michigan) is a shopping center with waterfalls along escalators that take visitors up to shops and restaurants located on seven floors of the building. Four blocks south, Ontario Street is lined with art galleries lavishly displaying contemporary art.

The Tribune Tower stands out for its pseudo-Gothic spitz and portico, between which 30 floors fit. Erected in 1925 for the local Chicago Tribune, it became the occasion for America's most famous architectural competition. Many leading architects (233 applications received from 23 countries) presented their projects, and among the losers were Walter Gropius, the creator of the Bauhaus - the famous educational institution and architectural and artistic association in Germany, and the great Finnish architect Ero Saarinen. Having tacitly convinced the world that modern buildings should now have a modern look, the tower appeared as an unusual and even sweet eccentricity.

We see a magnificent variety of styles in the skyscrapers near the Chicago River, starting from the bridge on Michigan Avenue. The whitish-yellow building with the clock tower north of the bridge is the skyscraper of Wrigley, the famed chewing gum manufacturer, especially beautiful at night under floodlights.

To the west along the river are the twin towers of the Marina City residential complex, resembling huge ears of corn.

Rounded reinforced concrete towers, where the living quarters on the upper floors look like slices of a pie, descend to the river. They serve as a pier for 500 boats of local inhabitants or boats of entrepreneurs who get on them to work from the suburbs of the northern coast of the lake. In contrast, behind them is a multistory steel and glass panel structure by Mies van der Rohe, owned by IBM.

loop

Loup - area together with El elevated railway (elevated railroad), girdling it along Wabash Avenue in the east, Ozernaya Street in the north, Rodnikova Street in the west, and Van Buren Street in the south, symbolizes American efficiency. Lasalle Street, the heart of the financial and banking district, resembles a canyon like New York's Wall Street. The main downtown department stores are concentrated on State Street and Wabash Avenue. One of them, the Carson-Piri-Scott building, is a place of pilgrimage for architects, attracting them, like the first buyers in 1904, with Louis Sullivan's unusually openwork metal ornament over the entrance from Madison Street, as well as unprecedented for that time, windows stretched along. Unfortunately, in 2007 the store closed.

The most remarkable feature of the Chicago business district is that in its many squares, plazas, there is a place not for statues of famous people, but for modern sculptures with mosaics. This design, called "square art" (plaza art), began with a massive, untitled steel sculpture by Picasso (1967) in front of the Richard Joseph Daley Community Center (Washington and Dearborn streets), a complex of city administration buildings and a courthouse named after the late mayor. Like a high-rise courthouse, the 15-meter Picasso sculpture is made of weather-resistant steel that turns rusty. For those who are trying to understand whether the woman or the horse is in front of them, Picasso himself has already answered that this, they say, is akin to trying to understand what the bird is singing about. And yet, this statue attracts admirers of the artist and townspeople to the square, who like to refresh themselves with sandwiches here.

Among other notable examples of “square art”, Chagall’s “The Seasons” can be distinguished - a 21.5 m long mosaic on the First People's Square (First National Plaza; Monroe and Dearborn streets); bright red, 16 m high abstract sculpture "Flamingo" (Flamingo Stabile; Adams and Dearborn streets) the Alexander Calder that adorns the Mies van der Rohe-designed Federal Center, considered by some to be the best set of government buildings in the country; and perhaps the most provocative sculpture "Batcolumn" (on the border of the Loop at the Social Security Administration building; 600 West Madison Street) representative of pop art Klaas Oldenburg 30.5 m high, assembled from 1608 welded steel elements.

At the edge of the Loop rises the Willis Tower (Wacker Drive and Adams Street), 110 floors soared up to 443 m, which allowed it to become the tallest building in the world at one time. Now the building consists of nine towers of the architectural agency COM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill - SOM), resembling square cigarettes put together, peeking out of the "pack" at different lengths. The steel frame is covered with blackened aluminum, and 16,000 windows are painted bronze. An observation deck is located on the 103rd floor. After visiting the Hancock Tower during the day, come to the site of the Willis Tower at night to admire its view.

Most of the restaurants and cafes in the Loop area are geared up to accommodate crowds of office workers at lunchtime.

Chinatown

You can truly feel the charm of Chicago's Chinatown by going from bakery to bakery, smelling the aroma of nut pies and macaroons, shopping for some Hello Kitty-branded change. Wentworth Avenue (Wentworth Ave), south of Sermac Road (Cermac Road), - the trading heart of the old Chinatown; Chinatown Square (Chinatown Square), along Archer Avenue (Archer Ave), south of Semark, is a newer commercial area. It can be easily reached in 10 minutes from Loop by train. Take the CTA Red Line to the Cermak-Chinatown stop.

Lake Shore Drive

A trip along this road gives you the opportunity to admire the surroundings. In the South Side area, you pass from Jackson Park past sailboats moored in Chicago Harbor at Grant Park, past the Oak Street seafront, and arrive at Lincoln Park on the North Side and boats docked in Belmont Harbor. If you move in a southerly direction, the road leads you to the place of the greatest concentration of the buildings of the current millennium, located in the Millennium Park.

The Royal Fountain consists of two glass block towers enclosing a shallow granite pool. The faces of thousands of Chicagoans change on video screens behind glass blocks; almost every 5 minutes, the lips on the screen fold into a tube and “release” a jet of water spouting from the tower.

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a summer concert venue for classical music, was designed by architect Frank Gehry. The pavilion is enclosed by corrugated stainless steel sheets that look like huge ribbons winding down from the stage. Gehry was also responsible for the construction of the British Petroleum undulating stainless steel footbridge.

But my favorite building (and the city's newest symbol) on Millennium Square - a twisted, three-story building-high sculpture "Cloud Gate" ("Cloud Gate"). Anish Kapoor's curved, mirrored surface is a cross between a work of art and a curved funhouse mirror, and has been affectionately nicknamed "the bean" (the bean).

Lincoln Park is worth a visit on its own for its menagerie. There is a stunning monkey farm there, but what attracts most of all is the idea, instead of tropical exoticism, of introducing domestic animals and birds to urban children, such as pigs, cows, goats, ducks and chickens, which they saw exclusively in fried form and are familiar only with cats, dogs and sparrows. Likewise, the Lincoln Park Conservatory, in addition to a fine selection of orchids and striking African and South American trees, pleases the eye with the unpretentious beauty of marshmallows, hyacinths, snapdragons and daisies in Grandmother's garden.

Museums in Chicago

Museum town in Grant Park (1300 South Lake Shore Drive) combines three remarkable expositions. Shedd Marine Aquarium (Shedd Aquarium; tel: 312-939-24-38; www.sheddaquarium.org) is one of the largest in the world. It contains 7,500 species of fish, including a magnificent collection of 350 inhabitants of the coral reefs of the Caribbean.

If you're lucky, you'll see scuba divers feeding big fish. Field Museum of Natural History (tel.: 312-922-94-10; www.fieldmuseum.org) also allows visitors to "play" with some of its exhibits, although at first you will be frightened by the huge skittish elephants beating in the main hall.

Museum of Science and Industry (South Lake Shore Drive and 57th Street; tel: 773-684-14-14; www.msichicago.org)- the most visited in the city, as you do not just stand and watch, but walk among the exhibits and do something. Descend into a coal mine, walk through a huge model of a human heart, visit a captured German submarine from World War II, push buttons and pull levers with the inscription "Do not touch".

Electronic tickets and discount cards

Major attractions including the Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium (Shedd Aquarium) and Willis Tower, allow you to purchase tickets online. The advantage is that, firstly, you are guaranteed entry, and secondly, you do not stand in line. Disadvantage - you have to pay for the service, the fee can be from $1.50 to $4 per ticket (sometimes for the whole order), and sometimes the online queue is no shorter than the live one. Our suggestion: consider purchasing tickets online in the summer and for some big exhibitions, otherwise it is not necessary.

Chicago offers several discount cards that will also allow you to bypass the live queues Go Chicago Card (www.gochicagocard.com). Allows you to visit attractions and attractions an unlimited number of times for a fixed fee; it is convenient if you visit these places one, two, three, five or seven days in a row.

citypass (www.citypass.com) Gives access to five major city magnets, including the Shedd Aquarium and Willis Tower, for nine days; this is the best option if you prefer a leisurely pace of sightseeing.

Leisure

Chicago's 552 parks include public golf courses, skating rinks, swimming pools and more. Events are free or quite inexpensive, and the necessary equipment can almost always be rented. Chicago Park District hosts various shows; information about golf (Tel: 312-245-0909; www.cpdgolf.com) must be looked at separately.

Bike

Cycling along the 29.77 km path along the lakeside area is a great way to see the city. Bicycles are rented out by two companies. The cost is about $10 per hour or $35 per day (helmet and lock included). Both companies offer two to four hour tours (from $35 to $60 including bikes) with lakeside walking, beer drinking, pizza eating, and Obama sightseeing (highly recommended!). Active Transport Alliance (www.activetrans.org) provides a list of cycling events taking place in the city.

Velo Chicago (Bike Chicago) (Tel: 888-245-3929; www.bikechicago.com; 239 E Randolph St (Randolph Street); 6.30-20.00 Mon-Fri, 8.00 Sat-Sun, closed Saturday and Sun. November to March) A rather isolated organization, has its branches in different places. The main one is in Millennium Park, another one is at the naval pier. Bobby's bike rides (Bobby's Bike Hike) (Tel: 312-915-0995; www.bobbysbikehike.com; 465 N McClurg Ct (McClurg Court); 8.30-19.00 from June to August, closed from December to February) Energetic successful company. The office is located on Ogden Slip/Ogden Slip (River East Docks/River East Docks).

Water sports

Dive, build sandcastles or sunbathe on any of Chicago's 30+ beaches. Lifeguards patrol the shore during the summer season. Check out the Chicago Park District (www.chicagoparkdistrict.com) to get recommendations before diving on the ship. North Avenue Beach (North Avenue Beach) and Oak Street Beaches (Oak Street Beach) located close to the center. Gather your will and focus as the water remains chilly even in July.

Ice skating

McCormick Ice Rink (McCormick Tribune Ice Rink) (Tel: 312-742-5222; www.milienniumpark.org; 55 N Michigan Ave); skate rental $10; from late November to February) in Millennium Park lights up when the temperature outside starts to drop.

Festivals and events

In Chicago, there are some events every day, but the biggest ones take place in the summer. Here's what happens in the city center on weekends, unless otherwise noted. Explore Chicago (www.explorechicago.org/specialverts) can give you exact dates and other details.

St. Patrick's Day Parade

www.chicagostpatsparade.com; mid March. Local Plumbers Union Colors Chicago River Waters Green (sour color) followed by a big parade.

Blues Festival

www.chicagobluesfestival.us; every year in June. It's the largest free blues festival in the world - the three days of music that made Chicago famous.

Taste of Chicago

www.tasteofchicago.us; end of June-beginning of July. 10-day party in Grant Park: bands and lots of food.

Summer dance (SummerDance)

www.chicagosummerdance.org 601S Michigan Ave (Michigan Avenue); 18.00 Thu-Sat, 16.00 Sun, from early July to mid-September. Musical groups play rumba, samba and other world-famous tunes, and fun dance lessons are held to this music. All this happens in the Garden "Spirit of Music" (Spirit of Music Garden) in Grant Park.

Pitchfork Music Festival

www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com; day pass $45; mid July. Indie bands strum in Union Park (Union Park) in three days.

Lollapalooza (Lollapalooza)

www.lollapalooza.com a day pass about $100; beginning of August. Up to 130 bands scatter across Grant Park's eight stages for a three-day mega-concert.

Jazz Festival

www.chicagojazzfestival.us; beginning of September. Big-name national jazz players play here on Labor Day.

Accommodation

Hotels in Chicago are not cheap. The best way to save money is to take advantage of special offers like Priceline or Hotwire (look for "River North" or "Mag Mile"). On weekends and on days when the city is flooded with members of any conventions (which are often held here), your chances are melting before your eyes, so plan ahead to avoid unpleasant surprises. The prices that we have indicated below are normal for the middle of the week in summer, i.e. hot, season. Another 15.4% goes to tax.

B&B hotels will be an excellent choice for the middle class dandy. Contact the Chicago Bed & Breakfast Association (www.chicago-bed-breakfast.com; numbers $125-250), which represents 18 hotels. In many hotels there is a minimum stay, two or three days minimum. Renting rooms for vacations in local apartments is also a good option. Contact Vacation Rental By Owner (www.vrbo.com) or craigslist (www.chicago.craigslist.org).

Loop hotels are convenient for visiting Grant Park, museums, and the business district, but the area freezes at night. Accommodation in the Near North or Gold Coast area is the most popular due to its proximity to restaurants, shops and entertainment. Rooms in Lincoln Park, Lake View and Wicker Park are enticing, as they are often cheaper than downtown rooms while still being close enough to the city's vibrant nightlife.

Wi-Fi is free unless otherwise stated. You'll pay dearly for parking in Chicago, about $45 a night in downtown and $22 in outlying areas.

For many years, Epicureans have written of Chicago as a "meat pool". Then something funny happened: the city received a ton of James Beard awards, and food magazines like Saveur named it home to the country's best restaurants. Even the noisiest restaurants are beautiful here: chefs are dreamers and big inventors, but at the same time true to tradition. The prices are bearable. You can also sample excellent ethnic restaurants, especially if you leave the center and visit one of the districts such as Pilsen or Uptown.

During the long winters, Chicagoans rely heavily on the warmth of the bars. Usually the bars close by 2.00, but some of them stay open until 4.00 or 5.00. In summer, many bars open beer gardens.

Transport Chicago

To/from the airport

Chicago Midway Airport, 17.70 km southwest of Loop, connected by CTA Orange Line ($2,25) . Other options include shuttle buses (per person $24) and taxi (from $30 to $40).

O'Hara International Airport 27.36 km northwest of Loop. The cheapest and often fastest way to get to O'Hara is to take the CTA Blue Line ($2,25) Mansueto Library

Bicycles

There are 193.12 km of bike lanes in Chicago. Get a free card from the City Transport Department (www.chicagobikes.org). Bicycle racks (parking lots) so many; the largest, with showers, is the McDonalds Cycle Center (www.chicagobikestation.com; 239 E Randolph St) in Millennium Park. If you don't lock the lock, you'll lose it. For information about renting bikes.

Cars and motorcycles

Be warned: parking on the streets and in garages is expensive. If you absolutely must leave your car somewhere, try the East Monroe Garage. (www.millenniumgarages.com; Columbus Dr btwn Randolph & Monroe Sts (Culumbus Drive between Randolph and Monroe Sts); on day 1.4). Traffic on the roads of Chicago during rush hour is just awful.

public transport

Chicago Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Chicago Transit Authority) (STA; www.transitchicago.com) operates city buses and elevated/underground trains (this train system is known as EI). STA buses go everywhere from early morning until late at night. Two of the eight color-coded trains are Red Line (Red line) and blue line (Blue line), traveling to O'Hara International Airport - operate 24 hours a day. Other lilies operate from about 5.00 to midnight every day. During the day you do not have to wait for a train for more than 15 minutes. Free maps can be obtained at the station.

(called a "transit card") or pay the exact amount without change (in this case the fare is $2.25). When traveling by train, you must use a transit card, which is sold at vending machines at railway stations. One day pass (one-/three-day pass $5.75/14) guarantees you great savings, but they can only be bought at airports and various pharmacies and currency exchange offices.

Metra commuter trains (www.metrarail.com) has 12 routes serving suburban areas, departing from four terminals located in a ring around the Loop: La Salle Street station (La Salle Station), Millennium station (Millennium Station), Union station (Union Station) and the Richard W. Ogilvy Transportation Center (and Richard At Ogilvie Transportation Center, a few blocks north of Union Station). Some trains run daily, some run only on weekdays during rush hours. The fare on the Metra ranges from $2.25 to $8.50. An all-weekend pass costs $7.

RACE (www.pacebus.com) operates a commuter bus system integrated with urban transport.

Taxi

There are many taxis in the Loop, going north to Andersonville and northwest to Wicker Park/Bucktown. The minimum fare is $2.25, plus $1.80 per mile and $1 per additional passenger; 15% tip expected. If you leave the city, you will pay one and a half times higher than the established city tariff. Recommended companies: Flash Cab (Tel: 773-561-1444) yellow cab (Tel: 312-829-4222).

The road there and back

Air communication

Chicago Midway Airport (Chicago Midway Airport) (MDW; www.flychicago.com) Small airport mostly used by local carriers such as Southwest (Southwest); sometimes flights from here are cheaper than from O'Hare Airport.

O Hara International Airport (O "Hare International Airport) (ORD; www.flychicago.com) The largest airport in Chicago and one of the busiest in the world. United Airlines headquarters and transportation hub for American. Most non-US airlines. as well as international flights use Terminal 5 (excluding Lufthansa and flights from Canada).

Buses

Greyhound (Greyhound) (Tel: 312-408-5800; www.greyhound.com; 630 W Harrison St) The main station is located two blocks southwest of the CTA Blue Line Clinton stop. Buses run frequently to Cleveland (7 o'clock), Detroit (7 o'clock) and Minneapolis (9 hours), as well as to small towns throughout the US.

Megabus (Megabus) (www.megabus.com/us; southeast cnr Canal St & Jackson Blvd). Only travels to major Midwestern cities. The price is often lower, the quality of service and the frequency of movement is better than the Greyhound on these routes. The bus stop is next to Union Station (Union Station).

Trains

Old Chicago Union Station (Union Station) (225 S Canal St)- transport hub for Amtrak regional and interstate buses (Amtrak) (Tel: 800-872-7245; www.amtrak.com).

Some routes:

• Detroit (5 hours, three trains daily)
• Milwaukee (1 hour, seven trains daily)
• Minneapolis/Saint Paul (8 hours, one train daily)
• NY (20 hours, one train daily)
• San Francisco (emeryville) (53 hours, ONE train daily)
• St. Louis (5 hours, five trains daily)

Airfare low price calendar

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The Trump International Hotel and Tower (more commonly referred to as the Trump Tower in the United States) is owned by multimillionaire Donald Trump and is the second tallest skyscraper hotel in the United States. The building consists of 92 floors, and the height to the top of the spire is 423 meters.

At this world-class hotel, guests can enjoy impeccable interior design and five-star service. A total of 339 elegantly decorated rooms with fine furnishings are ready to welcome guests. The restaurant serves a wide variety of cuisines with wonderful views of the city and Lake Michigan.

The opening of the restaurant took place in 2008, and almost immediately it received a five-star rating, which is not awarded to every establishment of this kind in the United States. The large Spa, with 11 treatment rooms and 53 spa rooms with magnificent views of Chicago, offers a variety of wellness services such as massages, hot tubs, manicures and beauty treatments.

In addition to all this, Trump Tower has a wonderful fitness center with a swimming pool and several honeymoon rooms.

Chicago water tower

The Chicago Water Tower was built in 1869 and is a symbol of the city and one of the oldest buildings. Several times they tried to demolish it, but the residents of the city were able to defend the building. The tower symbolically survived the 1871 fire that destroyed most of the city.

Regarding this fire, there is a local legend about a certain cow that turned a kerosene lamp over a haystack, which caused it to instantly flare up, and then the fire was transferred to neighboring houses. The scorching summer sun only intensified the effect. The inhabitants of the city fled, but the caretaker of the water tower remained in his place. When the fire came close, the man, wanting to avoid a painful death, climbed to the very top of the tower and hanged himself there. Locals believe that the ghost of the gallows still lives in the tower and can be seen there at night.

We dare to recommend you to visit Chicago, Illinois. This city is rightfully considered one of the most colorful cities in the world. The Windy City, as it is also called in America, ranks third in terms of the number of inhabitants in the United States. This is a truly beautiful and interesting city. Its amazing sights are famous all over the world. Chicago is famous for its architecture, great museums, and the best food on Lake Michigan. The architectural richness of this wonderful city is a real gem, extraordinary in its attractiveness and beauty.

One of the oldest buildings in the city is water tower(Chicago Water Tower), built in 1869. This is one of the few buildings that managed to survive the terrible fire in 1871. Today, this building looks very ridiculous next to modern glass and steel buildings, but it is a symbol of the city. A piece of its history, which the locals jealously protect and cherish.

Chicago's modern landmark is willis tower(Willis Tower) or as it used to be called the Sears Tower. It was the tallest building in the world when completed in 1974. You experience an indescribable feeling, looking at the panorama of the city from this skyscraper. From the surrounding grandeur and beauty is simply breathtaking!

Another attraction of the city - Magnificent Mile(Magnificent Mile). Perhaps this is the most famous shopping street in the city. It is located north of the Chicago River. This extraordinary street houses some of the most prestigious shopping centers, restaurants and hotels in the city. The magnificent mile is without exaggeration the most luxurious street in Chicago.

After visiting the Magnificent Mile, it's time to start your museum tour. There are a lot of museums in Chicago and they are rightfully considered the best in America. You can start with Field Museum of Natural History(The Field Museum of Natural History). Where you can see dinosaur fossils, artifacts from Ancient Egypt and much more with your own eyes. Then we advise you to visit the Chicago Planetarium to learn more about our universe, planets and stars. And, of course, magnificent museum of science and industry(Museum of Science and Industry), where you can get acquainted with all modern innovations in science and technology. This museum has many models of aircraft, trains, cars and other creations of engineering.

Having walked a lot around the city, many tourists use river tours for excursions. This is a great way to relax and admire the sights while riding comfortable river trams. Experienced guides will tell you a lot of new and interesting things about this wonderful city.

There are so many interesting places in the city that it is simply impossible to list them all. Chicago is an extraordinary city, but you can be convinced of this only by visiting it. Believe me, having visited the "City of Winds" at least once, you will remember this trip forever!