Information
Landmark: Buckingham FountainCity: Chicago
Country: USA Illinois
Continent: North America
Buckingham Fountain, Chicago, USA Illinois, North America
Overview
Buckingham Fountain ranks among Chicago’s most famous landmarks, and its massive basin makes it one of the largest fountains anywhere in the world.Right in the heart of Grant Park, it rises as a striking focal point, a proud emblem of the city’s spirit.Part art, part engineering, the fountain draws crowds every warm afternoon, its water leaping and lights flashing in perfect sync.First.It sits in the heart of Grant Park, tucked between Lake Shore Drive and Columbus Drive, right where Congress Parkway cuts through.It opened on May 26, 1927, a gift from Kate Sturges Buckingham in honor of her brother, Clarence, whose name still echoes through the quiet marble hall.Designed by Edward H., whose initials are etched in neat black ink.Bennett, who designed the building’s graceful arches, and Jacques Lambert, the sculptor behind its stone figures.The design draws its inspiration from the Latona Fountain at France’s Palace of Versailles, where water spills over tiered basins in the sunlight.Step two’s simple: mix up your sentence lengths so some are quick and punchy while others have room to breathe.The design’s symbolism comes through in its sheer size-280 feet across, as wide as a city block.Water capacity: it holds 1.5 million gallons-enough to fill a dozen Olympic pools.Jets: fitted with 133 water streams that spray in smooth, silver arcs.The central jet blasts a stream of water skyward, soaring as high as 150 feet with a sharp, rushing hiss.Four concentric basins, carved from warm Georgia pink marble, rise in smooth tiers.Each level spills into the one below, water tumbling in bright sheets that catch the light.The whole structure tips the scales at over 600 tons, heavy enough to make the steel beams groan.Jacques Lambert’s bronze sculptures, each shaped with a warm, burnished glow.Four carved Art Deco sea horse pairs stand in place, each one symbolizing a state along Lake Michigan-Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.Three.The technology and lighting were once run by hand, with their controls tucked away in a dim, underground pump room.It was later upgraded with automated computer systems, humming quietly as they processed data.Night shows light up the sky with pulsing colors and music, the beams sweeping in time to every note.Each nighttime show glows under more than 800 lights, from tiny amber bulbs to brilliant white beams.Number four.The season runs from early May to mid-October, as long as the weather cooperates-think crisp spring mornings and warm autumn afternoons.Daily shows feature water displays every hour, each running for roughly 20 minutes-watch the sprays catch the sunlight.From dusk until 10 p.m., the shows burst with colorful lights and lively music that echoes through the night air.At the peak of each show, the central jet bursts to life, flinging water high into the air in a dazzling finale.Five.Built during the City Beautiful Movement, it reflects an era that prized grand architecture and civic beauty-think wide boulevards framed by ornate stone facades.When it was finished, it stood as the largest fountain in the world, sending water soaring higher than a three-story building.It’s meant to capture Lake Michigan, with the neighboring states shown as sea horses curling like waves around its edge.It’s recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, an honor etched in bronze beside the front door.You’ve seen it everywhere-on movie screens, TV shows, and glossy postcards, even in the opening credits of *Married…*.with the children nearby.Number six.Tip for visiting: Go in the early evening, when the lights glow and the music drifts through the air.Accessibility: You can reach the fountain plaza easily-smooth walkways circle it, and ramps rise gently to meet them.Photography: A favorite spot where the Chicago skyline rises behind you, its glass towers catching the afternoon light.Nearby attractions include the Art Institute of Chicago, the Grant Park Music Festival, and Millennium Park with its gleaming Bean sculpture, plus the Lakefront Trail and the Museum Campus-home to the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium.Fun fact for the city: after the fountain was finished, Kate Buckingham gave a $300,000 endowment to keep its waters flowing.The Pump Room sits underground, roughly the size of a small house, with pipes and machinery filling every corner.Energy use: the fountain pumps and recirculates as much as 14,000 gallons of water every minute, enough to fill a small pool in the time it takes to blink.Buckingham Fountain isn’t just a pretty splash of water-it’s Chicago showing off, a masterpiece of early 20th‑century engineering, and a spot where locals and tourists linger to watch the spray catch the afternoon light.Whether you’re watching the central jet shoot high into the air or standing in the glow of its soft evening lights, the fountain delivers one of Chicago’s most unforgettable sights.
