Chicago Buckingham Fountain

In the heart of Grant Park, the spectacular Buckingham Fountain ("the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain") dates from the first third of the 20th century. Designed in the Rococo "wedding cake" style, it remains one of the largest fountains in the world, containing 5.7 million liters of water and animated by nearly 200 jets. Its architecture was inspired by the Latone basin designed by Le Nôtre below the Parterre d'Eau in the Jardin de Versailles.

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Facing Lake Michigan in Grant Park, the Buckingham Fountain symbolizes not only the gateway to Chicago, but also the end of Route 66 for travelers coming east from Los Angeles. It is an allegorical representation of Lake Michigan, with its four bronze horses symbolizing each of the American states around the lake: Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana.

Chicago Buckingham Fountain - One of the largest in the world

During the summer months, water shows enliven the fountain for 20 minutes every hour between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. A central jet of water shoots nearly 160 feet into the air. At dusk, a series of sound and light shows are performed every evening until 10 pm.

Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park