8 Fun Facts About Chicago Illinois

Chicago, the third-largest city in the United States, is known for its rich history, culture, and architecture. Here are some fun facts about the Windy City that you may not know:

• Chicago is known as the “Windy City,” but the nickname actually has nothing to do with the weather. In the late 1800s, Chicago was known for its long-winded and boastful politicians, and the nickname “Windy City” was coined to mock them.
• Chicago is home to Willis Tower, which was once the tallest building in the world. The skyscraper, formerly known as the Sears Tower, stood at 1,450 feet tall when it was completed in 1973 and held the title of the tallest building in the world until 1998. Today, Willis Tower is the third-tallest building in the United States and is open to the public, where visitors can enjoy a view of the city from its observation deck.
• The Chicago River is famously dyed green on St. Patrick’s Day. The tradition started in 1962 as a publicity stunt, and it has since become a beloved annual event.
• Chicago is home to the world’s first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building. The building, which was completed in 1885, stood at 10 stories tall and was considered a revolutionary achievement in architectural engineering at the time.
• Chicago is known for its deep-dish pizza, but it’s not the only pizza style the city has to offer. Chicago also has a thin-crust pizza style known as “tavern-style” pizza, which is characterized by its crispy crust and cut into squares.
• Chicago is home to the world’s largest free-flying American flag. The flag, which is located at Navy Pier, measures 60 feet by 90 feet and weighs over 1,200 pounds.
• Chicago is a leader in sustainable urban design, with many green roofs and eco-friendly buildings throughout the city. Millennium Park, for example, is home to the largest green roof in the United States, and the city has plans to install more than 20 million square feet of green roofs by 2020.
• Chicago is home to the world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago, which has a collection of over 300,000 works of art, including famous paintings such as “American Gothic” by Grant Wood and “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper.

Chicago is a city with a rich history and culture, and these are just a few of the many fun facts that make it a unique and fascinating place to visit.