Page 56 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Chicago

54  CHIC A GO AREA B Y AREA

originally skylights but have
since been sheathed with
copper and backlit to protect
and preserve the glass.
On the fourth floor is the
Sidney R. Yates Gallery, a replica
of an assembly hall in Venice’s
14th-century Doge’s Palace.
Arched, bronzed doorways are
inlaid with antique marble, and
the ceiling is coffered. The
stairway leading to the fifth
floor is modeled on the Bridge
of Sighs in Venice.
Although the building
Facade of Chicago Cultural Center’s Randolph Street entrance itself deserves many hours
r Chicago Cultural granite base. The elegant of architectural exploration,
allow enough time to view
Center building cost almost $2 million the center’s many exhibits
to construct. that reflect the city’s rich
78 E Washington St. Map 4 D1.
Tel (312) 744-3316. q Randolph. There are two entrances to cultural heritage and show-
Open 8am–7pm Mon–Thu; 8am– the building. The north case local and international
6pm Fri; 9am–6pm Sat; 10am–6pm entrance, at 77 East Randolph artists. Along the western
Sun. Closed public hols. 7 via Street, with Doric columns and corridor on the same floor
Randolph St. entrance. 8 1:15pm a massive portico, serves the is the Landmark Chicago
Wed, Fri, Sat. - = n Daily arts four-story north wing; the Gallery, displaying
events: call (312) 744-3316. deeply arched Romanesque photographs of the city’s
∑ chicagoculturalcenter.org portal with bronze-framed architectural heritage.
doors at the south entrance, The center also contains
Built between 1893 and 1897 at 78 East Washington Street, two concert halls, two theaters,
as the city’s main library, the serves the five-story south and a dance studio. Hundreds
building was dedicated in wing. The Garland Court of programs and exhibitions
1991 as the Chicago Cultural corridor connects the wings. are presented annually. Each
Center to showcase and The interior of the building, week, there are many concerts,
celebrate the performing, which includes a grand Carrara literary readings, and cultural
visual, and literary arts. marble staircase just inside the events held here.
Designed by the Boston firm Washington Street entrance, is One of two Visitor
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, a monument to elegant Information Centers operated
this massive Neo-Classical (see ornamentation. Inset in the by the Chicago Office of
p29) edifice features soaring staircase are small medallions Tourism is on the first floor
arches of white marble and made from a rare Irish emerald of the Chicago Cultural
classical Greek columns. The marble. On the underside of Center, near the Randolph
3-ft- (1-m-) thick masonry walls, the staircase, seen by looking Street entrance.
clad with Bedford limestone, up from each landing, are
rise 104 ft (32 m) above a intricate mosaics.
Two spectacular glass domes
complete the opulent
detailing. At the south end of
the building, on the third floor
in Preston Bradley Hall, is a
huge Tiffany dome. This 38-ft
(11.5-m) jewel of sparkling
colored glass, stone, and
mother-of-pearl is valued at an
incredible $35 million. It is the
largest stained-glass Tiffany
dome in the world. At the
north end of the building, in
the second-floor G.A.R.
Rotunda, is a stained-glass
dome in an intricate
Renaissance pattern. It was
Grand staircase leading to the third-floor created by the local firm Healy Stained glass dome by Healy and Millet in
Preston Bradley Hall and Millet. Both domes were the G.A.R. Rotunda

054-055_EW_Chicago.indd 54 13/07/16 3:03 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm