Chicago Water Tower

See the castle-like limestone tower that survived the 1871 fire, now a small city art gallery.

806 N Michigan Ave · Chicago, IL

About Chicago Water Tower

The Chicago Water Tower rises 182.5 feet over the Magnificent Mile, a castellated Gothic structure of yellowing Lemont limestone built in 1869 to a design by William W. Boyington. It was made to house a 138-foot standpipe, and it came through the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 while buildings around it burned. Today the tower holds the City Gallery, which shows work by local photographers and artists. It sits in a small park, Jane M. Byrne Plaza.

#historic landmark
#great chicago fire
#magnificent mile
#art gallery
#architecture

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What's around here?

The closest stops to Chicago Water Tower, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

Tours
Quirky Fun
Chicago Crime Tours
$25–$50
Guided bus tours through Chicago's Prohibition-era mob history and notorious crime landmarks.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Right next doorSwitch it up: Tours
Shopping
Iconic
Water Tower Place
No admission fee
Shop on Chicago's Magnificent Mile in a 758,000-square-foot mall at the base of a 74-story tower with a Ritz-Carlton hotel.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Steps awaySwitch it up: Shopping
Sightseeing
Date Night
360 CHICAGO Observation Deck
$25–$50
Lake-and-skyline views from 1,000 feet up, plus TILT, the glass ledge that leans you over Michigan Avenue.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Steps awayMore like this
Shopping
Iconic
The Magnificent Mile
No admission fee
Chicago's iconic stretch of Michigan Avenue: 400+ stores, landmark towers, and the historic Water Tower, river to Oak Street.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Steps awaySwitch it up: Shopping
Sightseeing
Iconic
Chicago
No admission fee
Illinois' lakefront metropolis, home to world-class museums, architecture, and neighborhoods along Lake Michigan.
Transit: reachable by public transit
0.6 mi awayMore like this
Sightseeing
Local Gem
Chicago Riverwalk
No admission fee
A 1.25-mile waterfront promenade of patios, wine bars, and skyline views along the Chicago River.
Transit: reachable by public transit
0.7 mi awayMore like this