The Magnificent Mile

The Magnificent Mile is a portion of Michagan Avenue in Chicago, extending from the Chicago river upto to Oak street. Many of the major land marks of the city, including the Water Tower, Tribune tower and Wringley building are located along this mile. Known for its nightlife and the upmarket shopping centers, magnificent mile is the "Champs-Élysées" of Chicago.



During the holiday season (Thanks Giving to New Year) the magnificent mile is illuminated completely with decorative lights.


The Saturday before thanks giving marks the formal start of the holiday season here in Chicago. That evening there would be a grand light parade and fireworks show all along the Magnificent Mile. All the major Walt Disney characters would be part of the show, here its mickey mouse near a model of the Water Tower. The day is celebrated as the Lights Festival.

The Water Tower and The Chicago Avenue Pumping Station (below) are two buildings that survived the the Great Chicago fire of 1872. Now they have grown into being the symbols of the city. They stand majestically amidst the surrounding skyscrapers at the point where Michigan avenue meets Chicago avenue.


The Tribune Tower, home of the Chicago Tribune and The Tribune Company, is located at the Michigan avenue just besides the pioneer court. It was built in 1925 in Gothic style by New York architects John Howells and Raymond Hood.

Colonel McCormick, the owner of the Tribune, had this crazy idea and asked his correspondents to bring in stones from different parts of the world so that they can be displayed with labels in the walls of the tower. You can see stones from different sites like Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, Great pyramid all around the walls (below) click on the image to expand..


The statue of Nathan Hale(above), an American patriot of the revolutionary war in-front of the tribune tower.

The grant Gothic style entrance of tribune tower lobby(below), resembles the entrances to great cathedrals of Europe..


The Wrigley Building (above), the head quarters of the Wrigley company, stands directly opposite to the tribune tower across the Michigan avenue. It was the first air-conditioned building of Chicago.


"Defense, Regeneration, The Pioneers, and The Discoverers" by James Earle Fraser and Henry Hering, is displayed on the four pillars of the Michigan Avenue bridge over Chicago river. (only two are shown here)



The sculpture "King Lear" by J. Steward Johnson at the pioneer court in Michigan avenue.


Chicago is bidding for the summer Olympics of 2016, flags marking the Olympic bid flutters over the Michigan avenue bridge with Tribune tower and Wrigley building in tha background.


The Chicago river as seen from the Michigan Avenue bridge, just before its merges into the Michigan lake.. Sheraton Hotel is seen on the left.