THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL CHICAGO
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Hotel with a colorful dome of North African influence at the top, benefiting from the architectural styles of different periods.
Built in 1929 as the Medinah Athletic Club, today's InterContinental Hotel was originally a private men's club. The building, a veritable patchwork of styles, blends Assyrian, Moorish and Art Deco influences. The north, south and west facades, on the eighth floor, feature Assyrian-inspired bas-reliefs depicting the club's founding members.
At the top, the famous golden dome, inspired by North African art, is one of the building's most emblematic features. Legend has it that the dome was designed to accommodate Zeppelin airships, a project that never actually came to fruition. In any case, the tragic explosion of the Hindenburg airship in 1937 put an end to the era of commercial airship transport, and the dome retained a purely decorative function.
The first Art Deco building to be constructed on Michigan Avenue as part of the city's northward expansion, it was roundly criticized for its extravagance. Yet it's well worth a visit: don't miss the spectacular 14th-floor swimming pool, adorned with blue mosaics and a statue of Neptune, or the many reception rooms bearing the names of knights and kings. The building is a veritable labyrinth: majestic staircases, endless frescoed corridors, hidden lounges... If anyone asks you what you're doing here, just say you're exploring.
Did you know? This review was written by our professional authors.
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