Chicago, Global city in Illinois, United States
Covering 237 square miles (613 square kilometers) along Lake Michigan, the city displays a dense urban core surrounded by 77 distinct neighborhoods, with the Chicago River branching through downtown and reversing its flow artificially since 1900.
Founded in 1837 with fewer than 4,000 inhabitants, the settlement expanded rapidly as a transportation hub linking the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River through canal construction completed in 1848, spurring industrial development that attracted millions of European immigrants.
Home to blues and jazz heritage, the city spawned musical innovations including house music during the 1980s, with nightclubs like the Warehouse establishing electronic dance traditions that spread worldwide.
Two major airports serve the metropolitan area: O'Hare International handles domestic and international flights 17 miles (27 kilometers) northwest, while Midway sits 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest with primarily domestic connections accessible via rapid transit.
The street grid follows a numbering system established in 1909, using Madison Street and State Street as zero points, with addresses increasing by 800 per mile (about 100 per block) in all directions, simplifying navigation throughout the metropolitan area.
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Willis Tower
764 m
Cloud Gate
381 m
Wrigley Field
7.7 km
Trump International Hotel and Tower
802 m
Soldier Field
2.4 km
875 North Michigan Avenue
1.9 km
United Center
3.8 km
U-505
10.7 km
Barack Obama Presidential Center
11.6 km
Art Institute of Chicago
426 m
Chicago Pile-1
10.2 km
Hull House
2 km
Millennium Park
442 m
Navy Pier
2.6 km
Allstate Arena
25.5 km
Robie House
10.6 km
Field Museum of Natural History
2 km
Merchandise Mart
979 m
St. Regis Chicago
1.1 km
Aon Center
647 m
Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
10.8 km
Marina City
679 m
Buckingham Fountain
1 km
Pier Park
2 km
Symphony Center
411 m
Grant Park
982 m
Chicago Water Tower
1.7 km
360 Chicago Observation Deck
1.9 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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