Monadnock Building

Chicago


Architecture buffs on a pilgrimage bow down to the Monadnock, two buildings in one that depict a crucial juncture in skyscraper development. The north half is the older, traditional design from 1891 (with thick brick walls and a plain facade), while the south is the newer, mod half (with a steel frame that allows for jazzier-looking walls and bigger windows). See the difference?


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Chicago attractions

1. Kluczynski Federal Building

0.03 MILES

No discussion of famed Loop architecture is complete without mentioning the boxy, metal-and-glass style of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, whose functional,…

2. Chicago Federal Center

0.04 MILES

Famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed the buildings at 230 S Dearborn St (aka the Kluczynski Building) and 219 S Dearborn St (aka the Dirksen…

3. Flamingo

0.05 MILES

Alexander Calder’s soaring red-pink sculpture provides some much-needed relief from the stark facades of the federal buildings around it. Calder dedicated…

4. Marquette Building

0.13 MILES

The architects behind the 1896 Marquette Building made natural light and ventilation vital components. The most impressive features, however, are the…

5. Harold Washington Library Center

0.13 MILES

This grand, art-filled building with free internet terminals and wi-fi is Chicago's whopping main library. Major authors give readings, and impressive…

6. Chicago Board of Trade

0.14 MILES

The Board of Trade is a 1930 art deco gem. Inside, manic traders swap futures and options – or, at least, they used to. Most trading is done these days by…

7. Rookery

0.15 MILES

The famed firm of Burnham and Root built the Rookery – named for the site's previous building, a temporary city hall that was popular with roosting…

8. Money Museum

0.16 MILES

This small museum in the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is fun for a quick browse. The best exhibits include a giant glass cube stuffed with one million …