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Buckingham Fountain

1927 establishments in IllinoisBuildings and structures completed in 1927Buildings and structures in ChicagoBuildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in ChicagoChicago Landmarks
Fish in artFountains in IllinoisHistoric district contributing properties in IllinoisNRHP infobox with nocatUse American English from November 2019Use mdy dates from November 2019
Buckingham Fountain Wikivoyage
Buckingham Fountain Wikivoyage

Buckingham Fountain is a Chicago Landmark in the center of Grant Park, and between Queen's Landing and Congress Parkway. Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world. Built in a rococo wedding cake style and inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, it is designed to allegorically represent nearby Lake Michigan. It operates from May to mid-October, with regular water shows and evening color-light shows. During the winter, the fountain is decorated with festival lights.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Buckingham Fountain (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Buckingham Fountain
South Columbus Drive, Chicago Loop

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Wikipedia: Buckingham FountainContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

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N 41.875792 ° E -87.618944 °
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Address

Buckingham Fountain (Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain)

South Columbus Drive 301
60605 Chicago, Loop
Illinois, United States
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Phone number

call+13127423918

Website
chicagoparkdistrict.com

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linkWikiData (Q158989)
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Buckingham Fountain Wikivoyage
Buckingham Fountain Wikivoyage
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Fountain of the Great Lakes
Fountain of the Great Lakes

Fountain of the Great Lakes, or Spirit of the Great Lakes Fountain, is an allegorical sculpture and fountain by Lorado Taft. A bronze work of art, created between 1907 and 1913, the fountain depicts five women arranged so that the water flows in a way that seeks to recall the waterflow through the five Great Lakes of North America. In the Great Lakes, the waterflow begins in Lake Superior at 600 feet (180 m) above sea level and continues eastward through each lake until it reaches Lake Ontario. The Fountain is one of Taft's best known works. It is located in the public South McCormick Memorial Court of the Art Institute of Chicago, in the Chicago Loop. The fountain was originally installed facing south where it remained until 1963, when it was moved next to the Morton Wing addition facing west. In its original location it was visible from the Jackson and Michigan Avenue intersection once known as "route center" to the south. The fountain was commissioned by the Benjamin Ferguson fund and one surface references the title B. F. Ferguson Fountain of the Great Lakes. There is a relief sculpture of Benjamin Ferguson on the rear panel that has been hidden from view since the fountain was moved.As the first commission from the Ferguson Fund, it experienced various funding delays. Additionally, the legal environment for land use in Grant Park was in flux at the time the commission was made, which caused delays in location selection. Once erected, the fountain received largely positive reviews, but a few critics questioned symbolism of the sculpture. Others were caught up in sociopolitical subtexts of the day, with regard to obscenity laws as it related to public art and this semi-nude work.