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Chicago named one of the best cities for architecture

Written by
Nick Kotecki
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Australian travel site, traveller.com.au, recently named Chicago one of the best cities for architecture in the world. We first learned of this thanks to Choose Chicago.

Chicago falls in good company with Brussels, Belgium; Quito, Ecuador; Torun, Poland; Barcelona, Spain and Miami.

Traveller.com.au dubbed Chicago "the home of the skyscraper." Our fair city was mentioned in particular as a must-see destination for architectural students. We could hardly disagree. New York might have tall buildings, but our best are arguably the most creative. Skyscrapers like the Carbide & Carbon Building, Tribune Tower, the Marina City towersAqua Tower and the monolithic Willis Tower are buildings you cannot miss on a visit to Chicago.

Our distinctive architectural past can be largely thanked by the Great Fire of 1871, which all but decimated Chicago's wooden structures. That cleared the way for up-and-coming architects like Daniel Burnham and others to experiment with new construction techniques and processes, many of which laid the groundwork for the construction of America's increasing tall cities. 

In fact, the world's first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, was built in Chicago in 1884-1885. It rose just 10 stories, topping out at 138 feet.

The steel-framed skyscraper was constructed in Chicago as well, in 1890. The Rand McNally Building sat at 160-174 Adams Street between LaSalle and Wells and was designed by Burnham and his business partner John Root. 

Burnham and Root invented the use of steel support beams that made the Rand McNally Building's construction possible. The technique gave architects the ability to add more floors and windows to their buildings. Prior to this, the highest a building could go was 12 stories, as they could only use their exterior masonry to support their heft. Amazingly, Burnham had no formal architectural training.

Burnham is also famous for designing one of New York City's most beloved structures, the Flatiron Building, which was completed in 1902.

To check out some of the city's finest examples of architecture, try one of Chicago's best boat tours.

RECOMMENDED: The 50 most beautiful buildings in Chicago.

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