Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Monuments & Statues in Chicago
THE 10 BEST Chicago Monuments & Statues
Monuments & Statues in Chicago
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Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Recommended Sightseeing Experiences (200)
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Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Lincoln Square
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Streeterville
Parks • Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Gage Park
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Monuments & Statues • Fountains
Downtown / The Loop
Monuments & Statues
Lincoln Park
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Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
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Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Magnificent Mile
Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
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Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Gold Coast
Monuments & Statues
Downtown / The Loop
What travellers are saying
- Laurence PNewhaven, UK439 contributionsA lot better in real life than on pictures. Quite surprised at the size. Intersing to find out about the British designer too. Well worth stopping here for a hour.Written 26 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Taylor BChicago, IL8,478 contributionsLong after he completed the untitled monumental sculpture that commands the Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago, Pablo Picasso said it represented the head of his Afghan hound. After its unveiling in 1967, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist Mike Royko wrote: "Interesting design, I'm sure. But the fact is it has a long stupid face and looks like some giant insect that is about to eat a smaller, weaker insect." Whatever it is, the Picasso is a well known Chicago landmark, the first monumental abstract public artwork in downtown Chicago. Located at 50 West Washington Street, Standing 50 feet tall and weighing over 160 tons, the Picasso is built of Cor-Ten steel, the same material as the exterior of the Daley Center. It was assembled and constructed at the U.S. Steel Company in Gary, Indiana, and unveiled and dedicated in Daley Plaza on August 15, 1967. "A gift to the people of Chicago," Picasso said in his dedication letter, without explaining what the sculpture was intended to represent. It is known for its inviting jungle gym-like characteristics. Visitors to Daley Plaza can often be seen climbing on and sliding down the base of the sculpture.Written 24 August 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Potomac_11Potomac, MD472 contributionsThis very striking statue in the heart of The Loop is well worth seeing if you are in the area. It dominates its space and is a wonderful photo op.Written 7 July 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Taylor BChicago, IL8,478 contributionsSince 1978, when merchants around the intersection of Lawrence, Lincoln and Western on Chicago's North Side persuaded the local chamber of commerce to develop Lincoln Square, a pedestrian plaza that required a controversial rerouting of local traffic, it has become a popular destination for dining and shopping with a wide variety of restaurants and European-style shops. Bounded by Lawrence to the north, Montrose to the south, Clark to the east and Damen to the west, it is one of 77 well-defined communities in Chicago, which includes the Ravenswood residential subdivision and historic Rosehill Cemetery. In the 1830s and 1840s, the area was settled by Swiss, German and English immigrants who established produce farms. Later, the farmland gradually began to fill up with bungalows, two-flats and small apartment buildings. Two new developments, Ravenswood Manor and Ravenswood Gardens, attracted new residents. After World War II, empty storefronts spurred local merchants to find new ways to attract customers. In 1956, they erected a statue of Abraham Lincoln for whom the area and the major street were named. And in 1978, they developed Lincoln Square. Today, it is home to such restaurants as Cafe Selmarie, Luella's Southern Kitchen, Bourbon Cafe, Garcia's Restaurant and Artango Bar & Steakhouse and such attractions as Gene's Sausage Shop, Quake Collectibles, Ravenswood Used Books, Merz Apothecary, Conrad Sulzer Library, Book Cellar, Davis Theater and Old Town School of Folk Music.Written 9 November 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- joaniemariaEldridge, IA5,260 contributionsIf you are a fan of Bob Newhart, you must find this sculpture at the end of Navy Pier. You can sit on his coach and imagine your conversation with his TV character. This is a hidden gem. You could easily miss it. It is on the southeast end of the pier. It is a fun photo opportunity!Written 16 September 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- BradHong Kong, China178,362 contributionsThe Lincoln Memorial is just a couple minutes walk east of the Chicago History Museum at Lincoln Park. What you will see is a 12-ft bronze of 16th President (1809-1865) standing in front of a decorative chair.
It is the work of Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1887) and is situated in centre of a platform with a semi-circular structure with seating. It is a nice memorial, one of a handful of interesting monuments you'll find scattered around Lincoln Park.Written 7 May 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - sanju_222323New Jersey17,361 contributionsLocated on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street, the tree-lined area of Wrigley Square is an open space for visitors to relax on the lawn. consists of impressive Roman Doric-styled 24-paired columns made from Indiana limestone reinforced by steel rods and plates.
The Square is anchored by the Millennium Monument (Peristyle), a nearly full-sized replica of the original peristyle that stood in the same location between 1917 and 1953. With its graceful semi-circular row of Doric-style columns that rise nearly 40 feet, the Millennium Monument ties the past to the present and supports the designation of Michigan Avenue as a landmark district.Written 19 April 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Taylor BChicago, IL8,478 contributionsWhenever I drive past or walk past the Elks National Memorial in Chicago, I am reminded of the time, so many years ago, that my father pointed it out to me. He was a loyal and dedicated member of the Elks and, as a veteran of World War II, he was proud that the Elks had built such a magnificent structure as a tribute to the bravery, loyalty and dedication of the thousands of Elks who had fought and died for our country. Located at 2750 North Lakeview Avenue, at the southwest corner of Diversey and Sheridan, across from Lincoln Park, and close to the park's Goethe Monument and statue of Alexander Hamilton, the Beaux Arts-style domed building has been described as one of the most magnificent war memorials in the world. Constucted between 1924 and 1926, it was built with fine marble imported from Greece, Austria, France, Belgium and Italy, as well as Tennessee, Alabama, Vermont and Missouri. High quality limestone came from Indiana. It features sculptures by Adolph Weinman, Laura Gardin Fraser and James Earle Fraser and murals by Eugene Savage and Edwin Blashfield. The rotunda features murals and statues depicting the Elks' four cardinal virtues--charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity. In 2003, the city of Chicago granted memorial landmark status. The building also serves as the national headquarters of the Elks.Written 14 June 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Taylor BChicago, IL8,478 contributionsI remember Chicago's Union Stock Yards. In the 1950s, when my friends and I used to attend major league baseball games at Comiskey Park. We could smell the odor emanating from the nearby meatpacking industry that was described as the "hog butcher of the world" from 1865 to 1971. Today, all that is left is the Union Stock Yard Gate. Located on Exchange Avenue at Peoria Street on Chicago's South Side, it was the eastern entrance to the famous Union Stock Yards, which occupied over 475 acres to the west, and is the only significant structural element to survive. It was designed a Chicago Landmark in 1972, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and acclaimed a National Historic Landmark in 1981. The plaza surrounding the gate also includes the city's principal memorial to its firefighters. The gate is a limestone construction with a central main arch flanked by two smaller arches. The main arch is 16 feet wide and 17 feet high with the surmounting truncated hip roof giving the structure a total height of 32 feet. One of the side arches retains an iron grillwork gate of a style that both of side arches would have originally had. The gate, designed by the notable architects Daniel Burnham and John W. Root, and an accompanying gatehouse (since demolished) were the only substantial buildings to survive a fire that leveled the stock yards in 1934. Restored in the 1970s, after the stock yards were closed, the limestone gate now stands as one of the few reminders of Chicago's past dominance in the meatpacking industry. Over the center arch of the gate is a bust of Sherman, the favorite bull of Union Stock Yards founder John B. Sherman.Written 15 May 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- BradHong Kong, China178,362 contributionsThere are a handful of large public artworks scattered around downtown including The piece known as Miro's Chicago (formerly known as The Sun, The Moon and One Star) that is located along West Washington Street across from the large scale Picasso installation.
This is the work of Catalan artist Joan MirĂł (1981). What you see is an abstract figure made of steel, wire mesh, bronze, concrete and ceramic tiles. It is 12 metres tall and resembles a creature composed of various parts and brought to life. It quickly reminds one of various monsters found in MirĂł's many paintings and sculptures.
Have a look of you are in the area and interested in viewing public artworks. There are others by Dubuffet, Picasso, Chagall and Calder nearby that you can take in as well.Written 3 May 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - IrinaUnited States14,350 contributionsThe Vietnam Veterans Fountain is the center point of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located on a plaza at the Chicago Riverwalk, on a lower level of 35 E Wacker Drive.
The memorial commemorates the veterans of Vietnam War, and on the waterwall of the fountain there are the names of 2,936 Illinois servicemen, who died in Vietnam War. The sculpture of The Vietnam Service Medal decorates the wall, and the words 'Chicago Remembers' are inscribed on the upper part of the wall. The corners of a rectangular, 14-jets fountain are decorated with flowers in planters.
Near the fountain, there's also a memorial wall with the logos of all branches of the armed services, who served in Vietnam, the memorial plaque with the historic info, and the date when the memorial was dedicated: November 11, 2005.
On the opposite side from the memorial wall there's a terraced lawn, and in the warm seasons there are many visitors, sitting on the benches and slopes of the lawn, with a good view of the fountain.
The whole memorial complex has a quiet, solemn feel about it, there are always visitors of all ages there, looking at the fountain, reading the names on the wall, and remembering the veterans of Vietnam War.
I was at the memorial several days ago, it was a gloomy and rainy day, but there were people at the memorial, standing near the fountain, reading the veterans' names ...Written 14 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - StephenCrossDublin, Ireland31,546 contributionsThe Gentlemen Statues sit beside Wabash Bridge. They are really cool and very individually and thoughtfully crafted.Written 8 October 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Taylor BChicago, IL8,478 contributionsEvery day, weather permitting, I take a long walk through Lincoln Park and along Du Sable Lake Shore Drive. Along the way, I always make a point of stopping at the Ulysses S. Grant Statue to to gaze at the ducks in the Lincoln Park pond to the west, Lincoln Park Zoo to the north, Lake Michigan to the east and Chicago's skyline to the south. Located in Lincoln Park, west of Cannon Drive, between Fullerton Avenue and North Avenue, the monument honoring the Civil War hero and 18th president of the United States was commissioned shortly after his death in 1885 and was completed and dedicated in 1891, with an estimated 250,000 people in attendance. It is an equestrian statue of Grant dressed in his Civil War uniform and sitting atop his favorite horse Cincinnati. At the time of its completion, standing 18 feet, three inches tall and consisting of 22 metal pieces fashioned together to give the appearance of a singular piece, it was the largest bronze statue cast in the United States. The statue sits atop a solid granite pedestal that is divided into three parts--pedestal terrace, stone roof and balustrade, pedestal proper--with a total height of 42 feet, six inches. Add it all up and the monument stands 60 feet, nine inches.Written 3 June 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- psudinoWeehawken, NJ4,435 contributionsThis statue is General George Washington, and the two principal financers of the American Revolution, Robert Morris and Haym Salomon. Around the back is a beautiful carving of the statue of liberty welcoming the huddled masses that eventually made our country the great nation it is today. The only reason I know about that is doing a quick Google search to understand what I was looking at.
It seems like the statue was randomly placed without much regard for it's historical significanceWritten 25 November 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - IrinaUnited States14,350 contributionsIn summertime, Plaza of the Americas is beautifully landscaped, and the whole area is in rich, colorful blooms; the high flying flags of the Organization of American States make the plaza look bright and very attractive.
You can see families with children on the plaza, and a striking sculpture Wings of Mexico is a definite photo op for many people. The history of the sculpture is described in detail on the stand in the front part of the plaza. Behind the sculpture, there is an impressive statue of Benito Juarez, the 26th President of Mexico (1858-1872), a memorial plaque gives the detailed info on the statue. I enjoyed taking photos of the plaza, that looked very beautiful in the morning sun.
The location of Plaza of the Americas is quite prestigious -- in the very center of Chicago, next to The Wrigley Building. Plaza of The Americas is easy to access from N Michigan Avenue, and it is an attractive, meaningful and memorable place to visit.Written 16 June 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
