Explore Chicago: cradle of the American skyscraper and world leader in modern building design! The fascinating architecture of Chicago unfurls before your eyes in this acclaimed - and now completely revised and updated - walking tour guide to the birthplace of the skyscraper. Full of little-known facts intriguing to natives and tourists alike, Chicago: In and Around the Loop guides you through Chicago's world-famous landmark buildings; walks you through the Loop and along the 'Magnificent Mile,' the 'Gold Coast,' Printers' Row, Grant Park, and Prairie Avenue; and shows you the most stunning views of Chicago's glorious and historic skyline. Along the way, you'll meet such architects as Daniel H. Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Dankmar Adler, John Wellborn Root, Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright and many others who revamped the American skyline and aesthetic.Walkers and armchair tourists alike will enjoy: 12 unique tours that include walks through vintage Chicago, both pre and post- Great Fire of 1871; North Loop's newest 'cloud-piercers'; and renovations of historic buildings into the Hotel Burnham, the House of Blues, and the Hard Rock Hotel; new anecdotes and fascinating facts about major landmarks (and their tenants) in the heart of Chicago; easy-to-follow maps of all walking tours; and 275 vintage and contemporary photographs, including many new to this edition. The tours include: The Loop I: Old Chicago and the Financial District; The Loop II: The James R. Thompson Center to State Street; Along the Chicago River I: the Sears Tower to the Merchandise Mart; Along the Chicago River II: The North Branch to the Illinois Center; The Michigan Avenue 'Cliff'; the Magnificent Mile and Streeterville; East Lake shore drive to the Centennial Fountain; South of the Loop: Printers Row; Grant Park to the Museum Campus; The Prairie Avenue Historic District to McCormick Place; and North of the Loop: The River North Neighborhood. The Gold Coast recommended by the Chicago Architecture Foundation for its completeness and lively style, winner of the Council for Wisconsin Writers' Nonfiction Book of the Year, Chicago: In and Around the Loop' is your ideal companion as you explore the city's rich architectural heritage and the exciting Chicago of today. This guide also serves as an ideal reference for architects, architectural historians, and students.